At the American University of Florence, Andrea Corrado and Maria Giulia shared how their brand filo.sofia merges sustainability, style, and integrity through locally crafted bamboo clothing.

On April 28, The American University of Florence hosted Andrea Corrado and Maria Giulia, the creators of filo.sofia, at their latest Made in Florence Palazzi Community Center event. They have developed a brand that takes an uncommon material and pairs it with expert craftsmanship to create a new type of clothing. The brand centers itself on using bamboo, a practical material and symbol that connects to their belief in sustainability.

Corrado's journey to bamboo came from his own experience. An active life and a wide variety of sports exposed him to a great quantity of materials, although none of them were quite what he was looking for. Though suitable for high-performance applications, these materials were missing from everyday life. He recalls walking in Florence's Piazza della Repubblica during winter, and how entering from cold streets into department store warmth induced sudden, jarring temperature fluctuations. Bamboo was different, as it could manage heat fluctuations with ease and kept him dry, comfortable, and stylish. Over time, it became clear that bamboo offered not only performance, but also elegance, softness, and a timeless look he had been searching for.

Utility is the backbone of filo.sofia, but it is elevated by their commitment to ethical and environmental responsibility. All of their clothing is designed and made in Tuscany, which offers superior craftsmanship, fair labor practices, and traceable production. Authenticity matters greatly to Corrado and Giulia. But as Giulia points out, even the most sustainable materials don’t amount to much if customers aren’t informed. “The best sustainability is in your head,” she says. “It’s the way you buy something, read the label, know where it’s made, and ask the right questions.” In a world where brands like to sell on false promises, the idea of mental sustainability encourages people to think about how and what they buy.

This introspective approach is integrated deeply into the brand philosophy. The pair consciously reduces waste and stock by focusing on three colors year-round. Their prices and products are not seasonal, as they offer the same products for the same price throughout the year. “We do not believe in sales,” says Corrado. “True quality has lasting value.”

Corrado and Giulia remain skeptical about the evolution of the fashion industry and the potentially dark direction it is headed. “Luxury has to speak about sustainability now,” advises Giulia. “There is a lot of greenwashing.” Greenwashing is a form of corporate virtue signaling — a way to elicit sales based on an emotional response from the consumer that comes from dishonest practices of the company. “It is greening up what isn’t,” Corrado says. Education, local production, and transparency are core values for the company to avoid any potential greenwashing themselves.

The pair know that the road will be a long one for the luxury fashion industry to be fully committed to sustainability and ethical production practices. By using only bamboo, Corrado and Giulia are committed to practicing what they preach and aiding in the fight for a sustainable fashion industry. The model they have started — one that promotes ethical production, quality products, and a positive impact on the planet — is one they hope catches on in the industry.

In the quiet yet sophisticated nature of their garments and the strong conviction that underlies their methods, filo.sofia offers an alternative to the typical fast-fashion luxury brands prevalent in the market today. Much less about the clothing, and more about the meaning behind the clothing, Corrado and Giulia are looking to redefine the way we think, shop, and live.

From a workshop in Tuscany to the world at large, they are showing us that less really can be more, and that luxury, in its best form, is based on simplicity, purpose, and respect.