Florentine Arte della Lana (Wool Guild)

Type Object Region Italy Time c. 1317–1800

The Arte della Lana was the leading one of Florence's seven major guilds, overseeing the entire process from raw material purchase to fulling, spinni…

Timeline

1561–1565Florence · FlorenceDuring the reign of Grand Duke Cosimo I, the wool guild still oversaw workshop registration, fulling and dyeing, and quality standards, but political decision-making power had been taken back by the grand ducal government, leaving the guild to mainly perform industrial management and technical discipline functions.
1566–1570Florence · FlorenceFacing competition from English and Low Countries broadcloth and changes in Mediterranean trade routes, the wool guild tried to adjust raw material sources and production organization, but Florentine wool manufacturing overall showed relative decline, with the guild's authority expressed more in maintaining traditional crafts and local employment.

Sources

The Florentine Woolen Industry in the Fifteenth Century — John Munro
Arte della Lana https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/arte-della-lana/