The long history
of Moessmer

Lanificio Moessmer, the oldest industrial business in Val Pusteria in Bruneck, South Tyrol, has been producing pure virgin wool fabrics and blends from premium alpaca, mohair and cashmere yarns since 1894. Its long history begins with founder Josef Beikircher (1850-1925), who came up with a great idea: to replace manual looms with mechanical ones, convinced that traditional craftsmanship had no future. A few years later, Beikircher partnered with Viennese cloth merchant Josef Mössmer. The company “J. Mössmer & Comp.”, based in Bruneck, was officially registered in 1894, employing some 40 people by 1900.

Initially, the company almost exclusively produced traditional Loden, a coat fabric with ancient roots dating back to the Middle Ages. At that time, the raw Loden fabric was felted and napped to make it waterproof and soft, while maintaining the natural colours of the sheep’s wool. It was under Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria that Loden began to be dyed dark green, taking on the appearance we know today and becoming the favourite hunting fabric of the Austro-Hungarian nobility.

Always considered a “hunting” coat, over time it has evolved into a versatile garment that can adapt to different looks and styles, while retaining its warm, soft and waterproof qualities. The garment is often reworked by major fashion houses, such as Balenciaga, Dior and Prada, and is much loved by the British royal family and even film stars. Today, Lanificio Moessmer is one of the few textile companies in Italy still manufacturing entirely in-house, from the raw material through spinning, weaving, dyeing and finishing, to the highest quality end product. The “Original Tiroler Loden” label certifies the authenticity, quality and value of the fabrics made here in the shadow of the Dolomites. To conclude, Loden can undoubtedly be considered today as the very best completely natural and sustainable “technical” fabric.

Water-resistant and windproof without the need for chemical treatments and/or bonding with artificial fabrics as a result of the felting process, which makes it compact yet soft. Heat-regulating as it is made solely from wool. The raw materials from renewable sources and all the certifications the company has obtained allow Moessmer to be at the forefront, enabling it to compete on a market that is looking increasingly to this type of product in response to the (alleged) unstoppable advance of fast fashion and its now undeniable environmental harm. To complement its business, Lanificio Moessmer has also launched its own collection of garments for men and women made entirely in Italy from its fabrics: classic, iconic garments and, naturally, made to last!