From traditional craft to industrial embroidery: an enduring fibre

Some materials follow trends. Others continue to interest designers and makers season after season without losing their identity. Raffia belongs to the second group.

Traditionally used for weaving and other handwork, raffia now appears in bags, shoes, hats, accessories and interiors. Its natural texture can feel familiar while taking on very different forms.

Raffia across fashion history

Fashion archives and museum collections show woven fibres in hats, bags, footwear and decorative objects from different periods. The forms change, but the appeal of a tactile, recognisable surface remains.

That versatility continues to make raffia a useful reference for designers and product development teams.

When constraints inspire creativity

Salvatore Ferragamo provides a well-documented example. Shortages of conventional materials encouraged him to experiment with alternatives. The Ferragamo Foundation describes his use of cork, hemp and other unusual materials; the Ferragamo Museum documents a sandal with a raffia upper and carved cork heel dating from 1938–1940.

Archival footwear image used as a reference for raffia and wedge constructions.

Ferragamo’s experiments showed how a material associated with everyday craft could be used in luxury footwear. Designers still revisit the same idea today, pairing raffia’s natural look with new shapes and techniques.

Italian raffia craft

In Italy, makers have used weaving, knotting and crochet to create baskets, hats, bags and decorative pieces. These craft techniques remain an important source of inspiration, even when the final product is developed with industrial equipment.

Vintage-style footwear showing the texture of crocheted fibres.

Industrial embroidery offers another way to work with the visual and tactile qualities of raffia. It does not replace handcraft; it extends the range of products and production methods available to a design team.

From natural raffia to FSC-certified viscose raffia

Natural raffia comes from the leaves of Raphia palms. As with many natural fibres, thickness, strength and behaviour during processing can vary between batches. Technical raffia yarns made from cellulose offer another option when a project requires more consistent colour and handling.

One example used by Marini Ricami 1986 is Pontova®, a viscose raffia described by its supplier as FSC-certified. It is designed to evoke the look and feel of natural raffia while offering a range of yarn counts and colours for embroidery, weaving, fringes and other applications. For luxury product development, this combination allows teams to plan samples and production with greater consistency.

Raffia handbag used here as a visual reference for texture and form.

How we develop raffia embroidery

At Marini Ricami 1986, our aim is to explore what raffia can do in industrial embroidery while retaining the texture that makes it distinctive. We develop samples with FSC-certified viscose raffia and refine stitch direction, density, support materials and finishing for the intended product.

Our work includes:

• raffia embroidery for leather goods;
• details for footwear;
• fringes and three-dimensional effects;
• decorative textile surfaces;
• custom applications for luxury accessories.

Sampling allows us to translate an idea rooted in craft into a repeatable process while retaining a natural, tactile appearance.

A material with room for new ideas

Raffia’s long presence in fashion shows how readily a material can adapt to different designs. From handwoven objects and historical footwear to contemporary embroidery, it continues to offer ways to combine texture, technique and product development.

Contact us to discuss a project or see our raffia embroidery samples.