ANT Forum

Beyond the big suppliers, where do you really find quality Italian vintage wholesale? Let’s open up about lesser-known routes—old textile districts, vintage co-ops, or contacts with retired boutique owners. Whether online or in person, what sourcing strategies or hidden networks have worked for you when buying vintage from Italy in bulk?      

Absolutely love this topic! I’ve found that some of the best pieces come from exploring small-town estate sales when I’m in Italy—especially in regions like Emilia-Romagna or Puglia. I also try connecting with locals who ran boutiques back in the day; their backrooms are treasure troves! It’s all about staying curious and following instinct.






     

That’s so true, LaSu7! I’d add that visiting old textile production towns like Prato can be eye-opening. Some family-run warehouses still have deadstock from the ‘70s and ‘80s, especially if you show genuine interest and build trust. Also, vintage markets like the one in Arezzo (first Sunday of every month) are underrated for bulk deals if you go early and negotiate directly      

For those unable to travel often, I’ve had great luck sourcing through regional Italian Facebook groups and forums where former boutique owners list entire inventories. It takes time to vet them, but it’s worth it. Here’s one of the groups I’ve used successfully: https://italianvintagewholesale.com/
Be respectful, and don’t rush—relationships are everything.      

So glad this thread exists! I’ve been sourcing for my store and just started looking into co-op models in Tuscany. Apparently, there are still a few artisan groups that rotate stock across vintage-focused co-ops—small but very niche and high quality. I’ll update once I visit one next month. Definitely agree with everyone above—personal connections beat any B2B platform!