Biagini, a high-end Italian leather goods brand founded in 1968, continues to evolve while remaining committed to environmental sustainability. The brand’s mantra is “All you need is less” as its own DNA is tightly connected to artisanal production, rather than series-made objects.
Along with that, it is constantly focused on finding new solutions and experimenting the use of alternative materials. Among others, its has recently introduced models made from eel leather—a material with a strong visual impact and a low environmental footprint, as it comes from food industry waste—while also carefully following various responsible practices.
Is it possible to strike a balance between producing luxury accessories and causing as little harm to the environment as possible? We discussed this with Valentina Amidei, Creative Director at Biagini.
Could you briefly tell us the story of Biagini?
The Biagini brand was founded in Bologna in 1968 by Silvano Biagini. Our company, Antony Groul srl, was founded in Modena in 1982 by my father, Alberto Amidei. The two companies began collaborating on production until, in 1999, we acquired the Silvano Biagini brand.
In 2009, the three of us children joined the company: Elisa handles management, Luca oversees production, and I manage creative direction and communications. In 2020, we opened our first flagship store in Milano Marittima and began expanding the brand’s universe with collections dedicated to the resort world as well. In 2021, the rebranding took place: Silvano Biagini became simply Biagini, with a more minimalist image, new wasabi-green packaging, and more contemporary lines.
What is the company’s core business?
Our core business is men’s and women’s leather goods. We manage the entire supply chain: from design and production to distribution and sales of bags, belts, and wallets, operating in both B2B and B2C markets.
Do you produce only your own brand, or do you also produce for other brands?
In addition to the Biagini brand, we also produce for third parties. Today, revenue is split almost evenly: about 52% comes from Biagini and 48% from private labels.
What types of leather do you use most frequently?
The most commonly used are calfskin and lambskin. Recently, eelskin has also come back into fashion. We also work with niche materials such as stingray, lizard, and reptiles like crocodile and python.
I know you follow a set of protocols when selecting, using, and processing your leathers. Can you tell me about them?
These protocols primarily involve CITES regulations, which protect endangered species and ensure traceability and transparency for certain types of leather. This documentation is required especially for exports outside the EU. Industry studies have also shown how regulated farms contribute to the protection and proliferation of these species.
Are you acting “fairly” toward the animals from which you source their leather?
Certified farms follow very strict protocols governing both the rearing and the slaughter of the animals. These are controlled procedures designed to ensure the utmost respect throughout the entire supply chain.
You mentioned eel leather? What are its characteristics? For which products is it best suited?
Eel skin consists of small panels sewn together, with a slightly glossy finish and very intense colors. It works well on rigid or semi-rigid bags, as well as on wallets and belts. It comes from the food industry, so it is a recycled material. It is not among the most expensive leathers, but it still has a very distinctive character.
Are there other leathers you work with that are byproducts of the food industry?
Calfskin, which is very common in leather goods, comes from food industry byproducts. Ostrich leather is also interesting because practically every part of the bird is used: meat, eggs, feathers, and skin. The latter can be processed from both the belly and the leg, which is narrower and more durable, and which we often use for belts and wallets.
Are there other leathers that aren’t yet very common that you use for your accessories?
Yes, for example, stingray leather. It has an almost glass-like appearance and is very distinctive, but also complex to work with because it’s extremely difficult to sew. Precisely for this reason, it remains a niche material but one with great aesthetic impact.
What are the prices of your bags?
Eel leather bags generally range in price from €600 to €800. If we look instead at more precious leathers, such as genuine python, the price can range from €600 to €1,500.
Crocodile leather, on the other hand, has a wider price range: it generally ranges from €2,500 to €7,500, up to special projects or unique pieces where the price can reach much higher levels, even around €20,000.
Do you produce your bags and accessories according to environmentally conscious criteria?
We are a family-run, artisanal business, and in our own small way, we follow a mantra that is as simple as it is fundamental: common sense. This gives rise to what we might call our daily best practices, consisting of many small, concrete considerations.
Could you give some examples?
One example involves the paper used for patterns: it’s first used for larger designs and then reused to print smaller patterns, making use of the smaller sections that would otherwise be discarded.
We also try to reduce waste in the gluing department: the pieces are arranged side by side to avoid excess glue and, at the same time, extend the life of the cloth underneath, which would otherwise need to be replaced much more often.
Another small practice concerns packaging: all plastic packaging from the hardware department is reused in the production cycle to organize and separate accessories. In general, anything that can be reused is saved and put back into circulation.
These are simple gestures, but they are part of the same philosophy we apply on a larger scale as well. We often use surplus materials from brands or leather and fabric stock sourced from specialized warehouses. Our flexibility and direct control of the supply chain, from start to finish, allow us to work this way: on one hand, we use high-quality materials; on the other, we salvage leather and linings that would otherwise go unused.
A concrete example is our Riviera canvas shopping bags, sold in the Milano Marittima boutique: they are made from leftover fabrics that allow for many variations in color and texture, while at the same time offering a more affordable price to the customer.
You also use reptile skins. These are skins from animals at risk of extinction…
Even in the world of reptile skins, there is a market for parts considered “minor,” such as certain sections of the crocodile. Our approach is to make the most of them: we start with a high-quality raw material and design specific models that best highlight those dimensions and cuts. It was precisely from this process that our Divina S-size bag was born in 2014, crafted using crocodile tails. A concrete example of how even what is considered waste can become a valuable product.