The “Signa”-ture (pardon the pun) craft in town is undoubtedly the straw hat, known in Italian as the cappello di paglia and highlighted in the Straw Museum. The famous “straw hat of Florence” owes its fame to Domenico Michelacci an enterprising 18th century man who was among the first to depart from cultivating wheat strictly for dietary purposes: instead, he intentionally set his sights on straw to be used in weaving. Michelacci worked specifically with grano marzuolo, set apart for its tiny grains and small ears. A watershed moment for the local economy, this change introduced by Michelacci ultimately led the Florentine area to become the West’s first area for high-quality straw hat production, piquing the attention of wealthy clients around the world.
Demands of clients have naturally shifted through the centuries, as have the fashions themselves, but the straw hat remains the icon of Signa. A visit to the museum will illustrate why: each room showcases important elements of this niche market and its role in local history.
The museum, brings together straw and woven objects in different materials, working tools and machines, historical photos and artworks, and a selection of hats from the late 19th century to 1970.
