Cycling Apparel Made in Italy

Reviewed by Ken Kübler · working with Giordana since 2003 · Last reviewed: September 2026

Anyone looking for high-quality cycling apparel will quickly come across terms such as Italian brand, Italian design, Italian fabrics or Made in Italy. However, these statements do not necessarily mean the same thing.

For this comparison, we therefore did not focus on whether a brand sounds Italian or has its roots in Italy. What matters is what the manufacturers themselves state on their official websites about the development and production of their cycling apparel.

Research updated: September 2026.

Quick Answer: Which Cycling Brands Manufacture in Italy?

Among the manufacturers that most clearly locate the production of their core cycling apparel in Italy are Giordana, Santini and Q36.5.

Giordana operates its own production facility in Italy and describes the brand as family-run, with production continuing in Italy. Santini states that its clothing is developed and manufactured exclusively in Italy. Q36.5 confirms that its jerseys and bib shorts are developed and manufactured in Italy within a radius of 350 kilometres from its headquarters in the Dolomites.

For other premium brands, the situation is more nuanced. For Alé, ASSOS, Pas Normal Studios and MAAP, Made in Italy can be clearly confirmed for certain collections or individual products. However, this should not automatically be interpreted as applying to every product from the respective brand.

An Italian Brand Is Not Automatically Made in Italy

For consumers, it is useful to distinguish between four different statements:

Italian origin describes the history or headquarters of a brand.

Designed in Italy means that a product or collection was designed in Italy.

Italian fabrics indicates that the fabrics originate from Italy.

Made in Italy, on the other hand, refers to where the finished garment is manufactured.

A brand can therefore use Italian fabrics without the finished jersey or cycling shorts being manufactured in Italy. Likewise, brands from outside Italy may have individual products manufactured there.

Giordana: Own Production in Italy

Giordana has been manufacturing cycling apparel in Italy for decades. In 1986, founder Giorgio Andretta opened Giordana's own production facility in Italy. Today, Giordana describes its production as being fully managed within its own facility.

For Custom production, cutting, printing and sewing are carried out at the factory in the Italian region of Veneto. Giordana also describes its production facility as fully owned and operated by the company.

This direct control over production is an important part of the Giordana philosophy. However, it does not automatically mean that every product is better simply because of its country of manufacture. Fit, materials, chamois, construction and intended use remain equally important when choosing high-quality cycling apparel.

If you would like to compare Giordana products yourself, explore our Men's Bib Shorts, Women's Bib Shorts and Men's Jerseys, with product lines ranging from comfort-focused training apparel to performance-oriented race fits.

Santini: Consistent Production in Italy

Santini is another manufacturer with a very clear statement regarding production.

The company states that its products are developed and manufactured exclusively in Italy. According to Santini, every garment is made in Italy and goes through the relevant development and production processes there.

This places Santini alongside Giordana among the brands where Made in Italy is not merely part of the brand communication, but is explicitly linked to the production of its cycling apparel.

Q36.5: Production Around the Dolomites

Q36.5 also provides very specific information about the origin of its core cycling products.

According to the manufacturer, all Q36.5 jerseys are developed, engineered and manufactured in Italy, within a radius of approximately 350 kilometres from its headquarters in the Dolomites.

Q36.5 makes a similar statement regarding its bib shorts: they are developed in-house and manufactured within the same regional radius in Italy.

Q36.5 is therefore another premium cycling brand for which Italian manufacturing is a central part of product development.

Alé: Made in Italy for Important Product Lines

Alé also places a strong emphasis on Italian development and production.

For the apparel developed together with British Cycling, for example, Alé states that it is entirely developed and produced in Italy. Its Custom Lab also explicitly refers to Italian design, engineering and manufacturing.

We therefore deliberately limit our statement to the product areas for which Alé explicitly confirms Italian production.

ASSOS: Italian Manufacturing for Selected Products

ASSOS is a Swiss cycling brand. Nevertheless, certain ASSOS products are demonstrably manufactured in Italy.

For the current OGAT collection, for example, ASSOS states that each jersey is individually handcrafted in Italy.

This is a good example of why the origin of a brand alone says relatively little about where an individual garment is produced. However, the Italian production of this collection should not automatically be taken to mean that the entire ASSOS range is manufactured in Italy.

Pas Normal Studios: Production in Several Countries

Pas Normal Studios also offers products that are manufactured in Italy. Certain Mechanism Jerseys, for example, are explicitly labelled Made in Italy.

At the same time, Pas Normal Studios transparently presents an international supply chain in its 2025 Impact Report. According to the company, direct production partners for finished products are located in countries including Italy, Portugal, Lithuania, Vietnam, Taiwan and China.

Pas Normal Studios is therefore a good example of why Made in Italy is best assessed on a product-by-product basis rather than applied broadly to an entire brand.

MAAP: Made in Italy for Selected Products

Australian brand MAAP also manufactures certain products in Italy. Its Pro Bib Short, for example, is explicitly labelled Made in Italy.

The same principle applies here: confirmed Italian production of a specific product is not automatically proof that the entire product range is manufactured in Italy.

What About Castelli and Sportful?

Castelli and Sportful are part of the Italian MVC Group and have strong Italian roots. The group describes itself as an Italian company specialising in technical sports apparel.

However, in a published sustainability report, MVC Group describes a production network for Castelli, Sportful and Karpos that includes partner facilities in Europe, Asia and North America. In our view, it would therefore not be accurate to claim that the entire range of these brands is manufactured in Italy.

This explicitly does not mean that Castelli or Sportful do not manufacture in Italy. It simply means that a product-specific check is advisable before making a general statement about the entire range.

Is Made in Italy Automatically Better?

No.

The country of production alone does not determine whether cycling shorts or a jersey perform well. Important factors include fit, material selection, construction, chamois, temperature range and intended use.

Made in Italy can, however, be particularly relevant for cyclists who value European manufacturing, shorter production chains, craftsmanship or a close connection between product development and manufacturing.

At Giordana, this connection has been part of the brand philosophy for decades: development, technical expertise and its own Italian production work closely together.

Which Giordana Bib Shorts Are Right for Me?

Even within a single brand, there is no one pair of bib shorts that is best for every rider.

Giordana offers different constructions for different requirements – from comfort-oriented models for training and long rides to close-fitting performance models for ambitious cyclists and racing.

If you would like to better understand the differences between the various chamois and bib shorts, our Giordana Chamois Comparison provides a detailed guide.

Frequently Asked Questions About Made in Italy Cycling Apparel

Which cycling brands manufacture in Italy?

Giordana, Santini and Q36.5 provide particularly clear confirmation on their official websites that core parts of their cycling apparel are manufactured in Italy. Alé also states that certain product lines are manufactured entirely in Italy. Other international brands such as ASSOS, Pas Normal Studios and MAAP identify Made in Italy for selected products.

Is Giordana made in Italy?

Giordana states that it continues to manufacture in Italy and operates its own production facility there. For Custom production, cutting, printing and sewing are carried out at the Italian factory.

Is Q36.5 made in Italy?

Q36.5 states that all of its jerseys and bib shorts are manufactured in Italy within a radius of approximately 350 kilometres from its headquarters in the Dolomites.

Is ASSOS made in Italy?

ASSOS is a Swiss brand. According to ASSOS, selected current collections such as the OGAT jerseys are handcrafted in Italy. However, this should not be interpreted as applying to the entire ASSOS product range.

Do Italian fabrics automatically mean Made in Italy?

No. The origin of the fabric and the location where the finished garment is manufactured are two different things. That is why this comparison focuses on specific statements about the production of the finished garment.

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Research note:
The information on this page is based on publicly available information provided by the respective manufacturers. Production structures and collections may change. The information therefore reflects the research date stated above and will be updated when new manufacturer information becomes available.

Manufacturer sources used: Giordana Cycling – Our Story and The Process; Santini Cycling – About Us; Q36.5 – Jersey Guide and Bib Shorts Guide; Alé Cycling – Made in Italy and Custom Lab; ASSOS – OGAT Collection; Pas Normal Studios – Impact Report 2025 and Mechanism Jersey; MAAP – Pro Bib Short; MVC Group – company and sustainability information.