Egisto Lenzi: More Than a Century of Innovation

Our story began in Prato in 1898, when Egisto Lenzi started a business recovering valuable fibers from discarded clothes. This is what we now call the “virtuous recycling of fibers,” which was once a practice driven by a reuse-oriented tradition and mindset. The goal was to produce new, more affordable fabrics, an essential practice dictated by the scarcity and high cost of virgin raw materials.

After an initial phase of selling recycled fibers on the local market, the company started its own in-house textile production, laying the foundation for its first manufacturing hub. Growth was rapid. By 1926, the expansion of operations necessitated acquiring a new and larger factory in Vaiano, the same location that still houses our main offices and part of our manufacturing today.

After World War II, our commitment to producing unconventional textiles and a constant search for innovative solutions gained new momentum. By the 1990s, profound technological transformations in the industry allowed the company to strengthen its business strategies and develop advanced solutions. Notably, Lenzi Egisto took on a leading role in military clothing, protective textiles, and functional fashion, often proposing visionary products that helped solidify the brand as a global benchmark for quality textile innovation.

New Product Milestones Over the Last 25 Years

From its very beginning, the company has focused its research and development on creating innovative materials designed to meet the concrete needs of the market.

These weren’t just simple evolutions, but groundbreaking solutions never seen before.

Among the various solutions offered to the market, our research brought the development of products for the medical sector (TEPSO® Line) to provide relief to psoriasis patients, AEGIS® containment nets for safe earthquake-resistant construction, and fabrics for ballistic protection.

Some of the materials developed by Lenzi are true milestones:

Mid-1990s

We used technological fibers in fashion fabrics to combine functionality and durability without sacrificing the aesthetic and sensory appeal required by the fashion industry.

2002

The L-Protection® line was born. These are multi-layered fabrics that can protect against accidental punctures in the soles of safety footwear.

This was a true revolution for the industry, and it's now adopted by all safety footwear manufacturers worldwide, replacing the traditional (and often uncomfortable) steel plates.

The world of safety footwear was definitively changed by our L-Protection textile insoles.

2003

A revolution in the military apparel sector was achieved with a blend of nylon and cotton in an intimate blend for NYCO fabrics.

Greater lightness, superior resistance, and excellent wearability meant that these fabrics, developed by Lenzi, have now become the material used for the uniforms of all Western armed forces.

Technical Solutions and the Fashion Sector

Today, the Lenzi-branded textile production, made by FF, is divided into two distinct application macro-areas:

Tecnoline textile solutions with advanced fibers and technologies for the sports, outdoor, military, and work sectors.
L-Protection barrier fabrics for work and sports protection that guarantee lightness, flexibility, comfort, and ergonomics.

Fashion line for leather goods and footwear, made with technical materials that can be customized to any design.
Umberto Lenzi clothing line, born from the tradition and manufacturing experience of the “Made in Italy”.

Past, Present, and Future of Lenzi Egisto

Following the most recent generational transition, Leathertex acquired the Lenzi Egisto brand in June 2013, along with the accumulated know-how and parts of the production departments.

This operation ensured the continuity of a century-old textile tradition, deeply rooted in the industrial district of Prato, while maintaining the production and development of special custom samples for Italian and European high-fashion brands.

Thanks to a well-established collaboration with GVT in Guangzhou , a significant portion of Lenzi’s products has been manufactured directly in Asia for several years. This strategic partnership ensures customers have access to equivalent products in both European and Asian markets.