«Since I arrived (at ReStartApp) I have been “eyes open ears open” to pick up every aspect». Among the many lessons Marta took home from the campus is the importance of fully valuing craftsmanship.

When I walk into her workshop, Marta Baldassarri is preparing a madder root broth. “It is red, but it could also be pink: the colour you can obtain from a plant to dye a fabric varies depending on the pH, so by using citric acid or iron sulphate I can turn it to different shades”, she explains. The small workshop where Marta designs her collections, makes the patterns, and dyes the fabrics is located in the medieval historical centre of Ripe San Ginesio – a tiny municipality in the province of Macerata a few kilometres from the Monti Sibillini National Park (Parco nazionale dei Monti Sibillini).

Marta is originally from Morrovalle, which is also in the Macerata area, but closer to the coast. She moved here in December 2020 attracted by the initiative sponsored by the municipal administration, which makes space available to artisans at an extremely affordable price. “Before me, some friends had opened a craft brewery. The opportunity to open my own shop starting from scratch paying a rent of just €60 per month was a great incentive. What’s more, the woods are just a few hundred metres from here, and this is ideal, because that’s where I collect the leaves I use to print clothes and the plants I use for dyeing” explains Marta.