Contract Textile International

SoFar/SoNear, Best Traditional Most Contemporary

Volume 2 / May-August 2010

Innovation, originality and commitment are three qualities defining the projects of SoFar/SoNear.  What is special with this company is their business understanding. You fell confidence and find them no far but so near…

Established in 2004 by Francesca Gasparotti and Luca Ferreccio, Milan based SoFar/SoNear, an ethical Italian design company, was the first Italian company to pioneer the design and production of high-end fabrics and carpets with a sustainable and fair trade focus.
Using Trevira CS SoFar/SoNear is an expert in flame retardant fabrics and carpets.
Their first unit is ‘100% human design’, a line of interior fabrics, carpets sold at independent stores in major European markets such as Italy, Sweden, Greece and the UK. ‘100% human design’ is the motto of the company. This motto identifies all collections that are produced with a sustainable focus. The idea was to inject a little Italian style into the all too often rather style free arena of traditional handcraft.  
‘SoFar/SoNear effectively combines a social conscience with luxury and as such is indicative of a bold new trend in sustainable products, moving out of the niche and into the mainstream’.
The company works towards changing the common perception of fairly produced and traded objects from taken ornaments to well-designed products. Their vision is to increase the respect for quality of life in all parts of the world.
SoFar/SoNear’s competency is to offer unique products that are well-designed by experienced Italian designers, and produced by the best artisans of the world, while guaranteeing the naturalness of materials used and the fairness of their trade. According to the officials of the company the success of the company has been largely due to this offering and the management of their production and customer network.
All of the products of SoFar/SoNear aim to bridge the gap between the perceived importance of computer-based design and traditionally handmade fabric, inspired by the theories of visual design. All products are produced by nonprofit associations that are part of the International Federation for Alternative Trade, which guarantees the fairness of artisans’ salaries, safe working conditions and adherence to the United Nations declaration of human rights
THE INITIATIVES DEDICATED TO ARCHITECTS AND INTERIOR DESIGNERS
SoFar/SoNear Studio
Besides the catalogue, SoFar/SoNear develops tailor-made designs for architects, fashion ateliers and interior designers. Our style combines creativity, innovation and high quality. Each project is based on an exclusivity agreement.
Since 2005, SoFar/SoNear designs and produces the fashion fabrics for Soledad Twombly, couturier and daughter in law of American painter Cy Twombly. Besides fashion design, the most recent projects include bespoke textiles, wallpapers and carpets for leading Italian furniture companies, like Saba and Estel/Simon Gavina and prominent architects.
The Showroom
SoFar/SoNear showroom is ideally located in the Brera district, Milan, in a charming 18th century courtyard. Stepping into the doors, the first thing clearly visible is the unique style of the Italian Company. Elegant patterned fabrics mix with striped wallcoverings and coordinated rugs. 
The idea is to draw architects, designers, buyers and the like into a space to talk, think and relax. This is somewhere were presentations can be held along with the core aim of admiring SoFar/SoNear’s newest fabric and carpet collections as well.
HOSPITALITY COLLECTION
Hospitality is the newly born range of Trevira CS textiles. Especially suited for the high-end contract, the collection combines style and functionality. The idea was to inject Italian design into the all too often rather style free offering of flame retardant fabrics.
The collection includes a range of grounds having a strong personality. The sophisticated design applied by the company makes the rest. 
The creative inspiration is drawn by three main trends: 
* New-baroque: this style mixes up decorative influences, like ‘ramage’ and ‘arabesque’ with a cool and vibrant sign and color palette
* New classic: the simple themes of ‘stripes’ and ‘landscapes’ mix together. These classic patterns have a contemporary look thanks to the subtlety of color gradations and the textural quality of the fabric. 
* Contemporary deco: geometric patterns like the ‘square’ and the ‘circle’ bring an element of dimensionality to the fabrics. 
NATURAL CHIC COLLECTION
The collection features an exclusive range of hand-loomed silks, premium silk velvets and cotton and satins hand-printed with gold and silver.
OECOTEXTILES
SoFar/SoNear has collaborated with award wining O ecetextiles to develop a stunning collection of linen/hemp blends combined with subtle metallic prints.
ABACA
SoFar/SoNear has experimented with natural materials, including woven pineapple fibres and abaca, combining these interestingly textured fabrics with subtle metallic prints.
WALLPAPER
The wallpapers range of SoFar/SoNear is coordinated to their farics. Bold design in wide format, 140 cm, for beautifulscenographies.
PRIVATE LUXURY
The beauty of an ancient ard form lives in the carpets produced exclusively for SoFar/SoNear whose projects are a compilation of designs inspired by nature, architecture or art works from present and past.
Carpets and rugs

SoFar/SoNear offers high quality rugs played on different geometric and chromatic contrasts.
The truly original felts of the company feature tailor-made patterns and hand-finish. Concise and simple designs of SoFar&SoNear fit in modern homes and public places.
One of the company’s most successful range of felts is the Stone Collection of easy lounges, inspired by pebbles, hand-made in soft wool felt fabric. The whole felt range is from sustainable sources. Besides felts, the company offers a wide range of hand-knotted carpets, too. The beauty of an ancient art form lives in the carpets produced exclusively for SoFar/SoNear.
The projects of the company are a compilation of designs inspired by nature, architecture or art works from present and past.
Precious and stylish the whole range is available to any size and color specification.
New to the range is The Gallery Collection, a one-of-a-kind collection of art pieces. The unique designs come from the collaboration with artists and architects. Its skilful artisans hand-craft each carpet using techniques passed on from generation to generation.
The mission of the company has been is to encourage the growth and importance of environmental sustainability within the interior textile industry, as well as the standard of living in the developing countries through the combination of the knowledge and traditions of local artisans in these countries with the Italian knowledge of design.
The vision is to rediscover the world’s best traditional production techniques to re-value and re-position them in the context of the contemporary global market, believing that environmental sustainability and fair trade will be an expected rather than desired criteria for future business success.