How can you buy genuine Italian product?

100% Made in Italy - Buttery butter?!

Phrase “100% Made In Italy”,  that seems like an example of tautology, has an absolutely precise legal meaning.

On the 20th November 2009 Italian Government enacted Law  № 166/2009, chapter 16 of which says, that the usage of the inscriptions "100% made in Italy", "100% Italia", "tutto italiano" and similar, in Italian or any other language, on the products, obliges producer to guarantee, that this product has been developed, designed, produced and packed up exclusively in the Italian territory. Also, Law № 166/2009 defines the responsibilities for violation of these requirements, in accordance with the article 517 of the Italian Criminal Code, stipulating confiscation of the counterfeit product and a penalty up to 250 000 euro.

This was done to protect the Italian economy, based around medium and small private companies. There was a threat to them, because major international brands with Italian residency, who used the inscription "made in Italy", which was a synonym of quality, looking for income turned their eyes towards the countries with cheap labor – from Romania and Turkey to China and Bangladesh. Corporations that previously ensured the orders for handicraft industry in Italy, now could deplete it. Yes, many companies have withdrawn production beyond the Apennines, but not all. Thank God, authentic Italian products are still popular and are in a steady demand. In this article, we will explain you how to distinguish a really Italian thing.

The most simple rule

According to the European laws, one of the product mandatory requirement is an indication of the country of origin on the label. And if the product is really made in Italy, you will find the proud inscription about this fact in the most prominent place. But if the country of manufacture is not Italy, you need to arm yourself with a magnifying glass and turn the whole product inside out, to find the inscription of origin. Therefore, if during the first few seconds of viewing you haven’t come across the label “Made in Italy”, that means this product hasn’t been produced in Italy. Don’t look for a black cat in a dark room, most likely it’s not there.

How you are twisted around your little finger

Italian manufacturer in affinity with Chinese workers will never write “Made in Italy” on the products sold in Italy. It is risky and unnecessary. It is easy to confuse an inexperienced foreign buyer by confining to an innocuous text "Genuine Leather", or an abstract phrase "Imported by… (name of the company having a warehouse and an office in Italy)". This uncomplicated hook is used by large brands, whose products are popular thanks to the promotion in the press and on TV. But it should be understood that "grands" sew only the most expensive collections in Italy, that are not affordable to everyone. Mass production of the affordable products of these brands has long been placed in "third countries". For justice’ sake it should be noted that the leading fashion houses have managed to organize a strict control over the natives, and even reached an acceptable level of production, but still – Italy is Italy, and China and other countries with cheap labor are unlikely to outdo the Italian quality in the foreseeable future.

Every law has a loophole

One tries as hard as he can to pass non-Italy off as Italy! A loophole allowing to not care a straw about the Law № 166/2009, is that in many countries, there’s no responsibility for a fake "Made in Italy" label, neither administrative nor criminal. This is used by dishonest businessmen, and trustful customers pay considerable money for a product that has nothing to do with Italy. More honest entrepreneurs write politically correct and evasive: "The origin of the brand – Italy". But excuse me, if the company director’s secretary was dating the Italian, that doesn’t mean that this company’s goods are Italian! However, the choice is yours. Chinese are also capable of making good things, and they can retain their consumer properties for a while. Although a bag of “genuine leather” made in China may weigh like a concrete bridge. But – savings!

Trade off. Grain by grain

It also happens that the bag has really been sewn in Italy, but using imported components (usually metal parts – locks, fasteners, etc.) Manufacturer thus can safely say that it is Italian. It’s enough that 51% of the works were carried out in Italy, to avoid being sent to prison. It’s difficult to prove the violation of this percentage, so often, if at least one seam on the product was actually made on the Apennines, manufacturers write “Made in Italy” and sleep peacefully. Besides the above-mentioned law regulates serious responsibility only for the falsification of "hundred percent". "51 percent" "Made in Italy" products usually have good consumer properties, but locks and zippers scratch hands and fasteners sometimes fall off. Of course, manufacturers can be understood. In times of crisis, not that one survives who is the best, but the one who will be able to give an acceptable quality at a lower price…

100% Italy. Quality without cheating

If you are in Italy and saw the label "100% Made in Italy" on the product, then it is really 100% Italian product. And it won’t cost 10 euro. An authentic Italian brand leather bag has a tailoring value of 80 to 300 euro, and that is only about 20% of the end cost. The remaining 80% - the cost of advertising. Multiply the total by 2-2,5 (normal trading margin) – and save up money. But what about those who are not willing to spend half of the monthly budget on a bag, and at the same time don’t want to raise the economy of China?! The answer is simple – pay attention to the products of small Italian companies that as in the old times produce everything themselves, from the Italian raw materials. Their videos are not shown on TV, these companies don’t participate in fashion shows, and don’t include promotion costs into the prices of their products. Money that you pay for such a thing is the price of quality. The products of these manufacturers are in a strong demand in Italy. Moreover, the big brands place important orders of their top lines exactly at the small Italian factories.

Quality certificate attached to the product.

With the  TutITALIA online store we give you the possibility to buy genuine Italian goods at a good price. Products have a certificate that guarantees the quality and authenticity of origin. We guess you don’t mind to welcome a small piece of Real Italy to your home? Buon shopping!