Before there is a vest, a surface slowly grows in front of a weaver. Threads held on the loom separate, let the weft pass through, then come together again. A beat brings the new thread against the cloth already formed. The movement begins again.
Watching this work means witnessing the construction of a material. The garment’s shape comes later. Here, something earlier is being decided: how the cloth will meet the light, respond to the hand and sit on the body.
From this viewpoint, we follow GIMMI’s artisanal hemp, from the fibre of our Vicenza project to fabric handwoven at Tessitura Colombina.
Before the loom: preparing the fibre
The journey begins with Carmagnola hemp grown in the Vicenza area. The textile fibre comes from the stem: before it can become yarn, it must be separated from the other parts of the plant and prepared for processing.
In our project, the harvested stems are retted in water. Retting helps loosen the fibre bundles; separation and combing continue the preparation. Combing helps align the fibres for spinning.
At this stage, the material still looks far removed from clothing. Yet its transformation has already begun. Preparing the fibre creates the conditions for it to be worked into yarn, then interlaced with other yarns.
Spinning: giving fibres continuity
Spinning gives continuity to fibres that individually have a limited length. Bringing them together and adding twist produces yarn that can be used in the next stages.
The cloth’s quality also depends on what happens here. Yarn thickness, evenness and twist contribute to the final result alongside the weave structure. The loom works with a material that already carries choices made earlier in the process.
Warp and weft: the architecture of cloth
On the loom, two systems of threads have different roles. The warp runs lengthwise and is held under tension. The weft crosses the warp across the width.
To allow it through, some warp threads are raised relative to the others. This creates the shed, the opening through which the weft passes. The new thread is then beaten into place against the cloth already formed. The sequence of interlacings creates the weave structure: the way warp and weft bind together.
This is the basic grammar of weaving. Working it by hand means coordinating movement, watching tension and guiding the formation of the cloth. Evenness requires continuous attention.
One metre at a time, on nineteenth-century looms
At Tessitura Colombina, the looms used for this project date from the mid-nineteenth century. Skilled craftspeople insert every weft by hand. For the weaving described here, producing one metre takes around an hour.
That time refers to weaving; it does not represent all the work needed to make a garment. Preparing fibre and yarn, setting up the loom, cutting and garment making are further stages of the journey.
In the video, the repeated movement becomes understandable. We can watch the weaver as we might watch someone making an artwork: each gesture changes the surface, each passage remains within what is taking shape. Skill gives the movement its fluency; the result carries the work that made it possible.
The handle of a fabric: a quality felt by touch
In textile terminology, handle describes the sensation a fabric gives to the touch. Body, softness, flexibility and surface all contribute. Composition provides part of the answer; yarn, weave and processing matter too.
This is why handwoven cloth rewards close attention. Variations in yarn and surface can become part of its expression, while careful workmanship remains essential. Irregularity alone is not a measure of quality.
Hemp and silk: a specific composition
In our vest fabric, this exploration takes a specific form: 75% hemp and 25% silk. The hemp belongs to our Vicenza project; the silk comes from luxury brands’ deadstock.
The meeting of these fibres contributes to the material’s character. The result should be observed in its surface and drape as well as read in its composition. The photograph inside the vest reveals another layer: striped fabric, a finish, the weaver’s name kept within the garment.
When cloth becomes volume
During cutting, fabric meets the pattern. During garment making, the pieces become a volume to wear. GIMMI’s vest has a gently rounded neckline, central fastening and patch pockets, giving an understated form to a material already full of character. Its antique-finish buttons are sewn on by hand with hemp thread.
This account concerns one specific part of our work: artisanal hemp. Our collection also includes century-old hemp and fabrics selected from suppliers, with different origins and processes. Recognising those differences allows each garment to be understood on its own terms.
At the end, the vest can be worn. After watching the cloth take shape, however, we look at it differently: within its surface we recognise the prepared fibre, the tensioned threads and the weaver’s gesture. The work takes form gradually, and continues in its relationship with the person who wears it.
Look closely at the hemp and silk vest or explore GIMMI’s artisanal hemp project.
Further reading on weaving terminology: The Textile Museum — Textile Terms and National Park Service — How Does Weaving Work?. Details of GIMMI’s project describe our own process.
