Trabaldo Togna: A Biella Wool Mill Founded in 1840, Specializing in Natural Stretch
Written by Kenji Tanaka
When choosing a fabric for a suit, you sometimes come across a cloth that makes you wonder, “How can wool stretch this much?”
Estrato by Trabaldo Togna is one of them.
Founded in the Biella region of Italy in 1840, Trabaldo Togna is a historic wool mill that has developed a particular expertise in stretch fabrics made from natural fibres. At uniontailors, we also work with Estrato in Super 120’s and Super 150’s.
Its appeal is not simply that the fabric “stretches.” What makes it interesting is the way it seeks to combine the beauty and character expected from classic wool suiting with the mobility and comfort required by modern life, using the properties of natural fibres themselves.
A Wool-Making Tradition That Began in 1840
The history of Trabaldo Togna began in 1840. Its founder, Quirico Trabaldo Togna, introduced power looms from Britain and began producing wool fabrics in the Biella area. The business subsequently expanded through the family, and by the early 20th century it had grown into a large wool textile company with several mills. In 1953, Lanificio F.lli Trabaldo Togna was established, forming part of the corporate history that continues today. The company's current headquarters are in Pray, also in the Biella region.
From the introduction of machinery at its foundation to the development of textile technology over the following generations, the history of Trabaldo Togna reflects an approach in which tradition and technological development have evolved together.
More Than Tradition: The Pursuit of Stretch
One of the keys to understanding Trabaldo Togna today is its long-standing research into elasticity, or stretch. The company has explored stretch properties across a variety of fabrics, from cashmere and Super 150’s and Super 180’s wool to flannel. One of the collections to emerge from this research is Estrato.
A defining characteristic of Estrato is that its stretch is achieved without adding synthetic elastomeric fibres. Instead, the fabric is designed to obtain a high degree of elasticity from natural fibres and the construction of the cloth itself. According to Trabaldo Togna, Estrato can achieve elongation of up to 20%, offering a higher degree of stretch than conventional natural-stretch wool fabrics.
This is what makes Estrato more interesting than simply calling it a “stretch suiting fabric.”
How Can Wool Stretch?
When people hear the term “stretch” in relation to suiting, they may immediately think of fabrics blended with polyester, elastane, or other synthetic fibres.
Estrato takes a different approach.
Rather than adding a separate stretch fibre, the aim is to use the properties of wool together with yarn construction, weaving, and finishing to create movement within the fabric itself. The result is a cloth designed to retain the appearance and character of wool while responding more naturally to the movement of the body.
Of course, not all natural-stretch fabrics behave in the same way. Stretch is not determined by the fibre alone. Yarn construction, twist, weave, finishing, and other factors all influence how a fabric moves.
That is why Trabaldo Togna's long-term focus on elasticity is significant. Stretch is treated not simply as an added feature, but as a textile property that can be developed through the construction of the cloth.
Estrato Super 120’s and Super 150’s
Estrato is available in different wool qualities, with the current collection extending from Super 120’s to Super 180’s. At uniontailors, we work with Estrato Super 120’s and Super 150’s.
It can be tempting to look at the numbers and assume that Super 150’s is simply “more luxurious” than Super 120’s. In practice, however, choosing a suiting fabric is not that simple.
Fibre fineness is only one factor. Weight, weave, hand, drape, durability, season, and the intended use of the suit all influence which fabric is appropriate.
Even within the same Estrato collection, Super 120’s and Super 150’s can serve different preferences and purposes.
Why Stretch Matters in a Suit
A suit does not only need to look good while standing.
We sit, stand up, get into cars, walk, reach forward, and travel. During a normal day, the body is constantly moving.
When a fabric has little ability to respond to that movement, additional tension can be placed on the garment. When the cloth itself has an appropriate degree of elasticity, it can move more naturally with the body.
Trabaldo Togna positions Estrato as a fabric designed to maintain elegance and comfort during long journeys and busy days. This makes it particularly interesting from the perspective of modern tailoring.
Can Function and Classic Tailoring Coexist?
A classic suit and a functional suit do not necessarily have to be two different things.
For modern tailoring, one of the challenges is precisely how to bring these qualities together.
A beautiful lapel. A clean shoulder line. Natural drape. And, at the same time, freedom of movement when the suit is actually worn.
Rather than focusing on only one of these qualities, the goal is to make them work together within the same garment. Estrato fits naturally into this idea.
Using wool as a natural fibre while giving the fabric properties suited to contemporary life does not mean rejecting traditional tailoring. Rather, it means allowing the fabric to evolve with the way we live while maintaining the principles of tailoring.
Why We Work with Estrato at uniontailors
The reason we work with Trabaldo Togna's Estrato Super 120’s and Super 150’s is not simply because it is an Italian fabric from a well-known mill.
When choosing a fabric, what matters to us is what kind of suit that fabric will become.
Is it for everyday work? Frequent business travel? Long hours sitting at a desk? Or for someone who wants a classic appearance with a little more freedom of movement?
For these kinds of requirements, Estrato offers a clear proposition:
The beauty of wool, combined with stretch derived from natural fibres.
That is what makes Trabaldo Togna interesting to us.
A Tradition That Continues to Evolve
Looking back at the history of Trabaldo Togna, tradition and innovation were never completely separate.
The company began in 1840 when Quirico Trabaldo Togna introduced power looms from Britain. Over the generations, it continued to develop its production and textile technology, eventually placing a particular emphasis on the elasticity of natural-fibre fabrics.
Today, the company remains based in the Biella region and continues to combine the knowledge accumulated through generations with ongoing textile research and development.
Tradition does not necessarily mean making fabrics in exactly the same way as in the past. It can also mean taking knowledge accumulated over generations and applying it to new materials, technologies, and ways of wearing clothes.
The history of Trabaldo Togna shows how tradition and innovation can develop together rather than exist in opposition.
And from the perspective of a tailor who actually turns these fabrics into suits, the value of Estrato cannot be understood through specifications alone.
How does the fabric move when the body moves? How does it feel when sitting? How does the suit look after being worn for an entire day?
These details are part of what determines the real quality of a cloth.
What Trabaldo Togna has continued to pursue since 1840 is therefore not simply “traditional wool.”
It is the question of how a material with a long textile history can adapt to the way modern people move and live.
Estrato is one answer to that question.
Official website: Trabaldo Togna