Value Taxonomy

The research project 7.5 “Cultural Value Chain: From Local Traditional Production Districts to a New Country of Origin Effect,” developed under Spoke 7 of the national program, explores design strategies for the cultural enhancement and sustainability of local production chains. Focusing on one of the key assets of Made in Italy - upholstered furniture - the project proposes an integrated model in which territorial identity, technological innovation and production memory converge in a new competitive vision. Through the analysis of the supply chain and the case study of Natuzzi S.p.A., the research led to the definition of a taxonomy of Italian upholstered products, composed of about one hundred icons, structured in a dynamic and searchable database, designed as a design tool and active archive. The digital infrastructure was subsequently translated into a field-tested business archival platform. From these results, the project also proposes an original upholstered product concept that incorporates the design guidelines that emerged, demonstrating the applicability of the model. The work contributes to outlining a regenerative approach to design, capable of strengthening local supply chains and redefining the Country-of-Origin Effect from a cultural and sustainable perspective.