The factory was founded in 1863 by the Poma family, who installed a large cotton mill that over the years employed 2,150 people.
The Pomas were among the first in the Biella area to build a workers’ village and a series of social-welfare facilities that were cutting-edge for the time, in addition to the manor house built on the hill known as “Castellazzo” whose clock marked the rhythms of the cotton mill’s work.
The large factory survived both world wars but was unable to update itself following the economic boom of the late 1950s, so in 1958 it had to close its doors.

It seemed that the life of the factory was about to end, but instead in the early 1960s the Botto brothers arrived, took over the structure and opened the Lanificio F.lli Botto.
Modifications were made to adapt the factory to its new use, some buildings were demolished and new ones were built.
For years, fabrics were produced for major fashion brands such as Valentino, Dior, Max Mara and fabrics for seats and interiors of FIAT, Lancia Alfa Romeo cars but also for many foreign companies.
In the early 90s, the decision to relocate production also put an end to the second life of the textile factory.

This time, however, there were no new buyers and the structure was abandoned.
Until an English gentleman managed to set up a business that recovers native wool from all over Europe.
And so the third life of the historic factory began.
In 2008, the Biella The Wool Company Consortium settled there and created the Interregional Wool Collection Center.

The Amici della Lana Association instead promotes the work of the Consortium and the culture of wool with theatrical performances and shows, musical performances, exhibitions, workshops, seminars, book presentations, guided tours of some of the factory’s facilities.
And here the Three Parcae, the three sisters of Greek mythology painted on the front wall of the factory, take on a profound meaning: they represent the three lives of the factory: the cotton mill, the wool mill and the wool and art factory.

The Museum of the Mutual Aid Workers’ Society was founded in 2020 on the initiative of the Municipality of Campiglia Cervo, in the sumptuous reception room of the S.O.M.S.
It exhibits to the public original furnishings, objects and documents of the institution that has been the linchpin of local sociality for many decades since its foundation in 1871.
With the help of modern technologies, the visitor is told the origins of the current discounted rights of mutual, accident, social security but also education and social equality.