HISTORY
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The dynasty of the Portolano
gloves has origin in Naples in the end of '800 with Mr Fortunato Portolano.
The first son Alberto, with a great spirit transformed the handicraft
Company of the father in a well productive and commercial structure
with full cycle : leather tannery, glove factory, shops in Florence,
Naples and Palermo. His sons continued this activity, one of this
son Fortunato Portolano moved to Milano in the '40 to export gloves
and leathers. So it is born Alpo Company , with commercial offices
and showroom in Milano, and factory in Cremnago di Inverigo. The tradition
continues : the machineries, the production oriented towards more
characterized articles are brought up to date. The production is more
flexible and able to realize a complete range of models, from leather
glove handsewed, to cashmere glove, to embroidered fabric glove. In
a difficult and selective market, the quality is the first purpose,
for Alpo is important to satisfy the taste and the sensibility of
refined and demanding customers. The leather is bought mainly abroad,
choosing the specialized tanneries, in the position to supply a soft
and elastic leather. A remarkable impulse to the improvement of the
quality standard comes from the fashion world. ALPO is one of the
first companies entered in relation with the Italian and foreign designers
in order to make the glove an important accessory for apparel. In
this field also, it is strong the competition in the low labour, the
difficulties due the fact that the glove has only one fashion season,
the difficult training of skilled workers. But this is also an input to increase the care of Alpo towards the aim "quality" on which is founded its tradition and future success. |
