Today my search for excellence in textile hemp takes me to the heart of Sicily, to Lucia, who after an intense period of research & development a few months ago launched her first collection of underwear in hemp fabric. But not in a classic hemp fabric, but in a soft fabric, woven in Italy. It is a special fabric called, precisely because of its softness, hemp butter®.

Are you curious to find out how he did it? Read our interview below.

HSM: Hemp® butter and LuciDuci.

HSM: In these two words, I sense softness and sweetness and I am curious to know what comes first: hemp butter® or LuciDuci?

LD: After a career in London in the automotive industry, where I had the opportunity to develop my skills as a product specialist, I decided to return to Sicily and reinvent my path, ideally by creating my own product. My parents have been successfully running a workwear workshop for many years, so we already have all the machinery at home to produce specific clothing.

Passionate therefore about the production of clothing, I first begin to study the materials and fabrics on the market. In this study, I discover hemp fabric (finally back in use after several years of prohibition) and I am immediately fascinated by its many properties: antibacterial, breathable, hypoallergenic, very durable and eco-friendly. I immediately realised that such a fabric could be used in intimate apparel.

But from idea to fabric the path is arduous: in Italy the hemp fabric supply chain has not yet been re-established, and after contacting several Italian and foreign suppliers I realise that the quality I find is not good enough for underwear: too coarse, too hard, too difficult to work with.

I also find hemp and cotton, but that doesn't work for me, because I would like to make my underwear from 100 per cent hemp fabric.

HSM: So you need a new hemp fabric that is both gentle and soft for your private parts.

LD: Correct. My association to support fashion brands then leads me to the REN Collective association where I discover, with great pleasure, that I am not the only one who needs to weave a hemp yarn with these special characteristics. After thorough research, together with some companies we set up a purchasing group with which we decide to buy the yarn and have it woven in Italy. We choose the so-called 'hemp butter®', the softest hemp fabric par excellence, i.e. a jersey with yarn weaving, 96% hemp and 4% elastane.

It is therefore a fabric processed in Italy (although the yarn unfortunately does not come directly from Italy). This fabric is therefore perfect for the creation of underwear and I use it to create hemp underwear and T-shirts for both men and women.

Thus was born the brand LuciDuci - where 'duci' stands for sweet in Sicilian dialect, and 'Luci' takes my name.

HSM: How important is it to network with other companies in the sector? Especially in the textile hemp sector, which is now taking over its supply chain?

LD: As mentioned, before spinning a fabric especially for us, I looked for a fabric that could be suitable for the production of underwear, but I didn't find it.

Through the network offered in particular by the REN collective, I got to know several companies that had the same problem as me, i.e. they needed a specific fabric for making hemp clothing. As is often the case, 'unity is strength' and so by creating a purchasing group we were able to buy at a lower price and weave the thread directly.

Furthermore, the circular aspect is very important for the LuciDuci brand. In fact, the remaining pieces of fabric will also be used for the creation of hemp accessories (more information will be available soon!). For the packaging, on the other hand, I use the scraps left over from the creation of the workwear - they are beautiful and colourless and give the LuciDuci underwear an even more special and artisanal look. Thus was born the LuciDuci BAG, which allows us to reuse our packaging several times!

As production in terms of packaging, I rely on a company in Emilia Romagna and one in Lombardy. So it is a slow fashion product completely made in Italy, from the fabric to the packaging.

HSM: I can´t wait to try on one of your women´s T-shirts and panties too!

HSM: Where can your customers find you?

LD: There are several sales channels, primarily our LuciDuci website, but also a lot through social media, such asInstagram and Facebook.

I have also recently started collaborating with Ecofashion.it and Whataeco.it (both online) and I also have a physical place where I sell directly, namely Wellbi (in Friuli), I also have two pick-up points, so as to reduce the CO2 impact, namely one in Cesena and one in Palermo in my family's shop. It's very convenient - you order directly online and then pick up on the spot.

Finally, I would like to inform you that I will be in Gambettola (Province of Emilia Romagna) on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 November for the Hemp Street Festival. On this occasion you can touch the softness of hemp butter with your own hands!

HSM: I hope that during the Hemp Street Festival we will also have the opportunity to meet in person. In the meantime, thank you very much Lucia for letting me discover this sweet and soft side of textile hemp.

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Photo: Copyright LuciDuci
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