Pontetorto has been producing quality fabrics through high levels of expertise and innovation for over half a century.

Since 1952, when it was founded, the mill has been perceived as a leader both locally and in the fashion industry where it has earned great visibility and standing. This was achieved through a strategy that has always blended traditional and forward fabrics as a result of an R&D activity where the research for newness was considered the key for growth.

In 1985, at a time when product diversification was not regarded as the correct product organization to implement, Pontetorto was the first mill in Europe to develop a range of Pile fleece fabrics for activewear.

As a matter of fact Tecnopile, the Pontetorto registered trademark for activewear fabrics that helped establish the company reputation worldwide, was the result of ongoing testing and development of brand new materials and processes.

Nowadays Pontetorto is therefore a company which has successfully managed to combine tradition, innovation, creativity and superior technical expertise thanks to intuition and high entrepreneurial skills. The most impressive outcome of this perfect blend has been the capacity not only to preserve but even to gain market share in the last challenging years.

The Banci family, with the second generation at the helm, is pursuing the same strategy of investment and excellence. The new challenges are set by the health safety and workwear sectors where the company is now focusing and allocating a lot of resources including a state of the art certified testing laboratory.

Pontetorto is also aware of all the environmental issues and their sustainability. The company with its typical forward attitude is highly engaged in the protection of the environment: at this purpose a photovoltaic panel system installed at the plant will make Pontetorto 95% self sufficient energy-wise. At the same time it is now a standard practice to use in the production process low-impact chemicals of the last generation.

The main markets which take up to two thirds of the production are Germany, Great Britain, France, Japan, United States and the former Soviet States.

History

1952

Pontetorto is established in the booming textile district of Prato

1960

The production of traditional women’s fabrics for winter is started

1970

A new trendy line of knitted fabrics is started marking the beginning of a strategy of product diversification 1980 a new Spring/Summer line made of lightweight fabrics for pants, jackets and dresses is launched

1985

First in Europe Pontetorto starts the production of pile fleece fabrics

1986

Bruno Banci cofounder of the company, and father of the present partners acquires the entire share capital. Until then he had been a minority shareholder

1990

the whole production facility goes under a major renewal to comply with the new stricter safety rules

1999

New hi-tech equipment is introduced in the finishing department to increase the capacity of the plant

2002

A new sales office is opened in St Petersburg in order to exploit the opportunities presented by the rapid growth of the Russian and more in general eastern European countries

2008

The company’s range of products is made up by over a thousand different items which are sold and promoted worldwide by an extensive network of agents

2011

Enrico Banci is awarded Cavaliere del Lavoro by Italian Republic President Giorgio Napolitano

2015

Pontetorto celebrates 30 years of Pile production. A corporate reorganization is implemented with a new arrangement of product lines: Classic & Evolution, Avantgarde & Avantgarde Jersey and Sportsystem

2016

Pontetorto is awarded the prestigious Premio Capitani dell’Anno 2016 for outstanding achievements and great potential for years to come.

2016

November 2016. Pontetorto S.p.A. announced that a majority stake of its share capital was sold to Daidoh Limited, a Japanese group listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange – Press release

2016

Pontetorto presents a real world novelty at the November edition of Performance Days in Munich, a new polyamide fleece

2017

Pontetorto wins the Performance Days Eco Award and the Performance Days Innovation Award thanks to the new Biopile, the product recognized as the most innovative and sustainable, which does not release microplastics, does not pollute water and is biodegradable.

2018

Pontetorto is awarded the Ethical Fashion Award at Milano Unica, an important prize for its great commitment to sustainable production.

2018

Pontetorto exhibits its sportsystem fabrics, high performance and advanced technology, at the Textile Evolution exhibition in Milan, at the Fabbrica del Vapore.

2019

Pontetorto participates in the first edition of Recò Festival, the first festival dedicated to the circular economy in Prato, directed by Alessandro Colombo.

2020

From Pontetorto’s research comes the new Biopile in hemp, an eco-sustainable and high-performance fabric, made with hemp fabric inside and with fabric obtained from a continuous filament of 100% polyester recycled from PET for the outside.

2020

From the long-term partnership between Pontetorto and HeiQ, a leading company in textile innovation, comes the innovative production of fabrics with Viroblock virucidal treatment, several technical fabrics and some fashion fabrics designed to reduce contamination by viruses and bacteria.