About Us

HISTORY

In the early nineties, the entrepreneur, collector and scholar from Chieri Armando Brunetti (1934–2015) developed the idea of setting up a museum for the conservation and dissemination of textile art in Chieri.

With resolution no. 858 dated 22/12/1994 of the City Council of the City of Chieri, it was decided to set up the city's Textile Museum. With resolution of the City Council n. 62 dated 29/7/1997, the Municipality of Chieri joined the initiative to set up the Chierese Foundation for Textiles and the Textile Museum with the participation of the Municipality of Chieri and the Province of Turin (now the Metropolitan City), together with the Small Industries, the Cotton Textile Association of the Turin Industrial Union and the Turin Chamber of Commerce as founding members, as well as a large number of textile manufacturers in Piedmont and private citizens.

The Foundation, established on November 8, 1997, results from the union between public and private, is a non-profit and obtained the recognition of legal personality from the Piedmont Region in 2019.

The current founding members are the City of Chieri, major supporter, and the Metropolitan City of Turin, to which are added, the Cotton Textile Industrial Association (now the Textile Fashion and Accessories Association) of the Turin Industrial Union, the Small Industries Association, three private citizens and fifteen companies in the textile sector, mostly from Chieri – Angelo Vasino SpA, Casalegno Tendaggi srl, Fantinex srl, Filmar srl, Vay SpA, FiDiVi Tessitura Vergnano SpA, Artistic weaving Chierese sas di Navone Andrea & C., Weaving Enzo Stella srl, Weaving Giuseppe Brunetti sic, Weaving Pertile srl, Liotex snc, Manifattura Italiana Destefanis of Destefanis Roberto, MV1843 srl, Quagliotti SpA and Vartex Srl.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Chierese Foundation for Textiles and the Textile Museum received the 2022 "Place of Culture" Award from the Italian Association of Textile and Color Chemistry (2022).

In 2022, the City of Chieri recognized the contribution of the Foundation to the city celebrations in the context of the Twins.

THE COLLECTIONS

The Foundation conserves and enhances several of its own collections.

The archival collection includes a significant repertoire of textile samples whose cataloging is underway, edited by Acta Progetti. The inventories and a selection of images from each swatch book will soon be available through the Memora front-end. L' Historical Archive of the Foundation also preserves a documentary and photographic heritage, mainly relating to the textile companies of the area but not only.

The historical-artistic collection it is made up of various drawing funds, textile projects or "puts on paper", and some works of art.

The book collection it consists of about 1500 volumes on the textile arts and on the local and world textile industry. There are also some ancient and rare volumes in the Specialist library of the Foundation, present in the National Library System.

The museum collection  it includes textile equipment from different periods (18th-20th century), fabrics and other notable objects. Part of this collection is on public display at Textile Museum in the fifteenth-century monumental complex of Santa Chiara. Another part is located at Vajro linen , where it is visible during temporary events.

There botanical collection consists of over 60 species of textile and dyeing plants that bloom in the Textile Botanical Garden ®.

THE HISTORICAL ARCHIVE AND THE SPECIALIST LIBRARY

The Historical Archive and the Specialist Library of the Foundation, equipped with an equipped study room, are in the monumental complex of Santa Chiara, on the ground floor, with access from Via Giovanni Demaria 10, Chieri.

Access is free to adults, upon written request, during the usual opening hours and by appointment. It requires the reservation .

THE CHIERI TEXTILE MUSEUM

The Textile Museum di Chieri is a member of the European Textile Network (ETN) and part of the European Textile Routes. He is also affiliated to the National Association of Small Museums. Already part of the network of Ecomuseums of the Province of Turin and the Piedmont Region, it has obtained the Herity certification for the ecomuseums of the "material culture project" network promoted by the Province of Turin.

Part of the museum collection is located in the Vajro painting and can be visited during temporary events. On the other hand, the permanent exhibition at the Textile Museum is regularly open to the public, located in the basement of the former convent of Santa Chiara, which was the city's first factory in the modern age. The entrance to the museum is in Via Santa Clara 6 while at number 10 you enter the multifunctional space known today as the "Porta del Tessile" room, created in the old chapel.

In 2021, the Textile Museum was the subject of a conservation and rearrangement campaign curated by Melanie Zefferino to better present the context of Chieri and its textile vocation from the fifteenth century to the present day. Further changes are currently being made to improve accessibility according to a project financed by the Piedmont Region as part of the "Accessible Museums" call.

The entrance to the Textile Museum is in Via Santa Clara 6, while at number 10 you enter the multipurpose room known as the "sala della Textile door ".

THE TEXTILE BOTANICAL GARDEN ®

Designed by Clara Bertolini in 2017, but expanded and renovated from 2021, with a project curated by Melanie Zefferino, Claudio Zucca and Giulia Perin to improve its use and accessibility, the Textile Botanical Garden ®

it is located in the ancient cloister of the convent of Santa Chiara.

It is accessible during events and, in addition to the museum itinerary, with a guided tour by reservation.

CREATIVE WORKSHOPS

Also through stable collaborations in residence, the Foundation promotes creative workshops of natural dyeing, weaving and bandera embroidery aimed at different user groups.

 Outlook

 The Foundation aims to play its role as a cultural actor by engaging in the development of knowledge and creativity in the field of textile arts. All this both by rediscovering traditional materials and methods and by exploring contemporary developments in the name of innovation, sustainability and harmony with Nature in pursuing its motto - "weaving the future with the weaves of the past".