In recent years in Italy, high-quality artisanal production has emerged as the only way towards maintaining market position and competing with Asiatic countries.

These pictures show a factory: a shoe factory where production is almost completely by hand, a workshop which boasts more than 40 years’ history and handcraft experience. This type of establishment, once well-rooted in the Italian manufacturing landscape, tends these days to succumb to the unstoppable competition from Asiatic countries, where personnel costs are just a fraction of those imposed in Italy. It is only through a process of re-qualification and well-guided exploitation of the knowledge matured over many years of handcraft experience that companies like this can compete on today’s market-place.

Some of these photographs featured in the Navayos-Lacoste advertising campaign in the United Kingdom , a sign that there is still space on the market for high-quality products fashioned after well-founded artisanal methods.

From the Navayos-Lacoste Catalogue:

- The Navayos company was founded in 1967 by Rolando Sturlini. The factory took its name from “Navayo”, as it began by making this traditional men’s Moccasin style shoe. The factory is located 30 minutes drive north of Florence on the outskirts of the Spa town of Montecatini in the Tuscany region.

In 1967 the business only employed four people, including the owners wife, Mrs Sturlini. As is the nature of such family run business, two of the original employees are still working for the company today and it is managed by the original owner’s son Alessio Sturlini.

The factory uses locally sourced leathers often from local tanneries in neighbouring regions. All the shoe components are also all locally sourced. The uppers are stitched within the town where many smaller stitching houses are set up within people’s homes. This workmanship is always strictly monitored and very high standards are maintained. Over recent years Navayos has also been keeping up whit modern trends and newer construction techniques leather and rubber soles.

The Hand finishing stands out in every shoe of the Club Collection. The products are then packaged in high quality boxes with shoe bags as part of the premium feel to the collection. Navayos now have an enviable list of customers and have their products sold over the world.

The Lacoste Club collection offers a combination of contemporary styling and young trend driven silhouettes, with the Classic collection offering a more premium and traditional fell. -