Can you buy fabric in Prato and is it worth the effort to leave Firenze to try and find it.

Hi,
There is a giagantic warehouse of fabric called Gori Tessuti. It is so big that there is a real train inside the three or four hangers to move the rolls around. You can get almost anything but you need an Italian Tax ID number (partita iva) to purchase. The place is just off the autostrada exit at CALENZANO in direction of Florence, thus between Prato and Florence but closer to Florence.

This is the place that everyone goes to. The buildings are light blue. I dont think they have a website but here is the address:

TESSUTI GORI S.P.A.
Gori Tessuti (S.P.A.) Prontomoda Greggi Scampoli
50041 Calenzano (FI) - 9, VIA VITTORIO EMANUELE
tel: 055 8876321 - fax: 055 8876324

Beware, partita IVA is not the same as Codice Fiscale. Codice fiscale is the individual tax ID that every Italian resident has, while Partita IVA is the professional tax ID available only to those that have an activity in Italy.

I am sure that there would be several people willing to help you get there and to buy fabric with their tax id number so as to deduct expenses from their own taxes.