What is a short supply chain?
A short supply chain is a production and distribution model that minimizes the number of intermediaries between producer and consumer, promoting sustainability, transparency, and local development.
This approach is particularly widespread in the agri-food sector, where it often takes the form of direct sales, farmers’ markets, solidarity-based purchasing groups (GAS), or zero-mile shops.
However, the concept can also be applied to other production sectors, as in our case of ethical clothing production that is entirely Made in Italy: from wool to sweater.
Proximity and enhancing the local area
One of the central aspects of a short supply chain is proximity, which can be geographical (local products), economic (a direct relationship between producers and buyers), or relational (trust and transparency). This model makes it possible to shorten physical and social distances, strengthening the bond between the local area, producers, and communities.
In particular, Lanaioli has chosen to source from several farmers in Italy, located in the regions of Lazio and Abruzzo, wool derived from local merino-cross sheep breeds for the production of its line of short-supply-chain knitwear and accessories.
The benefits of a short supply chain in the textile sector
The benefits of a short supply chain in the textile sector in which we operate are numerous:
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🌱 Environmental sustainability: reducing transportation and packaging lowers CO₂ emissions and the overall environmental impact.
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🐑 Enhancing the local area: local production, native varieties, and agricultural traditions, including the breeding of endangered breeds, are promoted.
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🔍 Greater transparency: consumers can learn about a product’s origin, production techniques, and often even the person who made it.
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⚖️ A fairer price for everyone: by eliminating intermediaries, farmers can earn a fairer margin, while consumers can access quality products at a competitive price.
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🏘️ Local economic development: money spent by consumers remains in the local area, contributing to the vitality of rural and artisanal economies. This is significant added value that benefits all the actors in the supply chain, not just the final stage
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🤝 Ethical management of livestock farming and labor: the European and Italian regulations governing the farms where the wool used for Lanaioli’s short-supply-chain garments is sourced provide stricter standards than those in other countries regarding animal welfare and the living conditions of workers in the agricultural and pastoral sector.
Challenges in the short knitwear supply chain
As in other sectors, applying a short supply chain to textiles and our knitwear also presents some challenges.
Logistics can in fact be more complex for small producers, product variety may be limited compared with mass distribution, and continuity of supply may depend on seasonal or climatic factors.
The application of European regulations governing dirty wool (raw wool that is subsequently washed and processed into yarn), which is effectively classified as waste and must be managed with dedicated transportation, procedures, and hygiene standards throughout the entire process, can make processing more costly and time-consuming.
In addition, the disappearance of wool-washing and treatment facilities in Italy, now almost entirely outsourced to countries outside the EU because of lower costs and fewer regulatory constraints elsewhere, makes local processing more complex, though not impossible.
Future developments according to Lanaioli’s short-supply-chain philosophy
Despite the difficulties, growing attention to quality, sustainability, and ethical consumption has made short supply chains increasingly popular, and our brand intends to play a leading role in this new shared awareness.
It is a model that responds to conscious and responsible demand, capable of combining individual and collective well-being. It can only return to prominence in the years ahead, because sooner or later the fast-fashion system will no longer be sustainable, either economically or ethically.
