Italy Supertessile, Italy - August 2022

[The_Raw]

One from an epic trip to Italy with @Gigi a little while ago. Came across it by accident on Google Maps, and a quick look online confirmed it was definitely worth checking out. The site is absolutely huge so it took us a few hours to explore, even though we missed quite a lot. In fact I seem to remember we completely lost each other in there for a while! Much of the machinery has been removed but there is still a fair bit left behind, and the absence of any vandalism is always a bonus.

Supertessile was a former textile factory that specialised in the production of viscose rayon, an affordable semi-synthetic fabric designed to replicate the appearance and texture of silk. It opened in October 1928 and employed 2,313 workers within its first year. Throughout the 1930s, the factory expanded significantly, growing its workforce to 4,500 employees by 1938. In November 1943, operations were suspended due to the war, but production resumed in July 1946. By 1963, the factory employed around 1,200 workers. Production ultimately ceased in 1979, though there was a partial reactivation in 1986. Over the next 20 years the factory changed ownership multiple times, but closed for good in 2006. Since then, the site has remained completely disused and abandoned.

Former security block

Bicycle shed

Hooks for workers to hang their bicycles on

Cheers for reading. Viva Italia!​