Faucets are an essential fixture in any kitchen or bathroom. Who are you going to go to if you want to buy a faucet manufactured in Italy, by Italian hands? Maybe you want to support the Italian economy. Maybe you want to reduce your carbon footprint by ordering something local. Or maybe you just want to find out where things are produced, like me. You’ve come to the right place! In this article, I’m going to be telling you about all the companies I found that sell faucets produced in Italy.
Which Companies Sell Faucets Made in Italy (The Short Answer)
As I always do, I’ve scoured the web for any information I could find on this topic, and in the end, I found 9 different brands that produce their faucets in Italy. Those are Bongio, Fir Italia, Fortis, Fromac, Officine Gullo, Ritmonio, Viadurini, Webert, and Zuchetti. With so many companies to choose from, it’ll be easy for you to find exactly what you’re looking for, no matter what your preference is.
Italian-Made Faucets (9 Brands to Choose From)
With 9 brands to choose from, it might ironically be harder for you to decide which company to buy from! So many choices…it’s easy to get paralyzed by an overwhelming number of choices. I’m going to do the best I can to help you choose the company that’s right for you. Read on, and learn about all the companies I found that manufacture their faucets in Italy.
Bongio
The first company on my list, Bongio, was founded in Alzo di Pella, a small town just off the foothills of the Alps, near Italy’s border with Switzerland. Bongio was established by its namesake, Mario Bongio, in 1936, and it is currently under the management of Mario’s son, Antonio Bongio. The company promotes the I LOVE WATER initiative as part of an effort to promote a culture of environmentally conscious water saving. Bongio was highlighted in the third edition of Imprese Vincenti 2021 as a high-level contributor to the economy following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Notably, Bongio is one of the very few companies that continues to make traditional floor-mounted faucets for sinks. In fact, quite a large number of its faucets are presented in this rather unique style. I’ve selected two such faucets to showcase below. I’m not sure they are to my taste, personally, but maybe you will feel differently about them.
T Lever 31533 Floor mounted basin mixer
Gio 2 80533/PR Floor mounted basin mixer
Fir Italia
Fir Italia began its history under a different name. The company was originally established in 1957 as Fir Rubinetterie; FIR was an acronym that stood for “Fabbrica Italiana Rubinetterie.” The original focus of the company was the production of mixer taps, mainly for domestic use. A few years later, the company began the production of mixer taps for commercial use.
Fir Rubinetterie was the first company in the world to use onyx as one of the materials in its faucets. In 1990 the company began producing a special series of faucets that allowed the user to control the precise temperature of the water. It wasn’t until 2008 that the company adopted its current name: Fir Italia.
Fir Italia is headquartered in Vaprio D’Agogna, Italy, and specifies on its website that all of its products are “Made in Italy.”
The company produces an incredibly large variety of taps. I definitely recommend giving their website a good look. One rather curious thing is that all of their taps seem to be made of steel. The company’s faucets come in all shapes and sizes, but you won’t get a lot of variation in color or finish from them. I’ve included two samples below, but as I said above, you’ll definitely want to browse the selection on the company website.
Fortis
Fortis was established in Pogno, Italy, in 1954 by Mario Paini, who continues to serve as the company’s president today. His son, Marco Paini, is responsible for leading the company. All of Fortis’s products are inspected by hand. All of Fortis’s products are manufactured in Italy.
One of the things I just love about Fortis is that the company recycles the vast majority of scrap material used during production—95%, according to the company website. It also recycles all of the water used in its factory. In addition, the company proudly declares that its products can help your building achieve LEED certification, due to its high water-use efficiency. For those of you who aren’t in the know, LEED certification indicates that your building is environmentally friendly.
Here are two faucets that are produced by Fortis:
Fromac
Fromac was founded 50 years ago. It is located in Concesio, Italy, and was established by the Frola brothers. The company’s stated mission was to develop and bring to market brassware fixtures for use in bathrooms and kitchens. Fromac staff provide a wide range of products that fit this description.
In 2012, the company added aerators to its products. This innovation allows its faucets to significantly save on water usage. One great thing about purchasing from Fromac is its 5-year manufacturing guarantee.
Fromac’s selection isn’t quite as large as some of the other companies I’ve listed here, but it is still pretty big, so you’ll have plenty to look at. I found the selection quite easy to navigate and browse through. Products are broadly separated into two categories – Bathroom and Kitchen – and after clicking through you can go on to select a more specific category from there. It’s a welcome change from some of the other websites I’ve seen that overwhelm you with dozens of categories right away, or even drop you on a giant page of largely uncategorized products.
Officine Gullo
Officine Gullo was founded in the ever-famous Florence, Italy. Like Bongio, it was founded by its namesake, Carmelo Gullo. Carmelo now operates the company with his three sons, Pietro, Andrea, and Matteo. Officine Gullo manufactures all of its products in partnership with local craftsmen and workshops, and its products are made out of a number of materials, including steel, copper, cast iron, and brass.
I personally really like the style of this company’s fixtures. Whether you love it or hate it, these faucets stand out. They’ll definitely make a mark on your home. If you look closely you’ll notice that some of the faucets feature engraved patterns and symbols—the company notes that these decorative engravings are inspired by traditional Florentine iconography.
These two products should give you a good idea of what this company is all about:
Ritmonio
VARALLO, ITALY
Out of all of the companies on my list, this one is the hardest to write about, because I was able to find extremely little information about it. Here’s what I do know: the company has been in existence for at least 70 years. In that time, it has produced safety valves in addition to faucets and other bathroom fixtures.
The company is located in Varallo, Italy, and all of its products are made in-house. Ritmonio’s faucets are all very industrial in appearance. They are characterized by simple lines and forms that eschew any kind of unnecessary flair or embellishment. The two faucets I’ve listed below should give you a good idea of what I’m talking about.
SINGLE LEVER SINK MIXER E0CU200
SINGLE LEVER SINK MIXER E0CU220
Viadurini
Another difficult company to write about! Viadurini was established in 2015 in Santarcangelo di Romagna, a small (and, in my opinion, very charming) town with a population of just over 20,000 people, located on the eastern coast of Italy, directly across from Croatia.
Its founders are Giuliano Cranchi, Giovanni Cranchi, and Gianni Gozzi. The company appears to be making a push to break out onto the international stage, although only time will tell if it is successful.
Viadurini specializes in producing traditional faucets. Just looking at the picture I’ve posted above, you can tell that these aren’t your typical, modern faucets! It’s easy to look at these and imagine yourself in a tiny Italian villa. The aesthetic just fits. I don’t know about you, but I personally really love this style, and if I were buying a faucet, I’d want it to be from this company.
Classic Style Group for Wall Kitchen Washbasin in Brass Made in Italy – Limo
Classic Design Brass Mixer for Kitchen Basin Made in Italy – Carmel
Webert
Webert was founded in 1975 and is based in Borgomanero, Italy, which is a small town not too far from the Swiss border. It is a privately owned company that, according to its website, pays close attention to environmental concerns during the manufacturing of its products. Staff opt not to use anything that will pollute the environment, and design their products with energy and water efficiency as foremost concerns.
Webert produces some of the most unusual faucets I’ve ever seen. If you have a look at the links I’ve posted, you’ll notice that the faucets are almost like magic tricks. They are impossibly flat, and some of them even have holes in them! If you want your bathroom to have an interesting centerpiece, this might be the company you should buy from.
Zucchetti. Kos
Zucchetti was founded in 1929 in Valduggia. Its founder was Alfredo Zucchetti, and the company has remained in his family for nearly 100 years since then. It is currently owned and operated by the third generation since Alfredo Zucchetti.
The company originally manufactured valves and fittings for industrial use; it wasn’t until 1950 that its factory was repurposed and it began producing chrome sanitary taps. Zucchetti entered the international market in a meaningful way for the first time in 1958, with a heavy focus on Canada and Australia.
Zucchetti owns and operates two factories. Its factories are quite large, with 35,000 square meters of floor space filled with around 200 employees. The company manufactures 600,000 finished products every year.
Zucchetti has won a large number of awards over the years, one of which was the Good Design award, and I think you’ll agree wholeheartedly that the staff deserved that award when you view their products. There’s an air of sophistication to these faucets. They’ve got sleek lines and beautiful forms.
This is one of my favorite companies on this list. I could totally see myself buying from them.
