The Giordana cycling clothing brand was started in 1970 and has always been made in Italy, but in the past two years they’ve opened their own factory in Montecchio, Italy, in the Veneto region near where Campagnolo and other cycling brands are located.
During that time, they’ve revamped their top-level FRC Pro, summer and winter apparel lines over past two years, and now they’re pushing their updated custom options with those new lines. Despite higher labor costs, they kept production in Italy because of the level of talent that’s there and the quality of materials that are available. Now, everything is made under their own roof, from entry level to pro team. They picked up Astana and Orica-Scott teams to ride their clothing, but also make club level goods using that pro level feedback to make good stuff available to everyone.
That said, their custom program is focused on a slightly higher end customer. It’s not “fast fashion”, as they put it, that’s going to be on trend for a hot minute and then fall apart and end up in a landfill. But, they know that it needs to be reasonably affordable and have quick turnaround. So, they came up with the concept of Heritage in Motion, which puts their own fabrics and technologies on all of the products from bottom to top.
The FRC Pro collection is what the Pro Tour teams wear. it uses their best materials and construction methods, like an eight needle stitch with micro thin threads that end up using less total material but is stronger than normal thread. Fit is super tight and aero, with more compression. Front material runs up and over the shoulders, so there’s no seams. Fully custom available, and several inline colors.
All jerseys have locking zippers and reflective hits. Shorts have micro-dot silicone leg grippers and flat, 2-way stretch straps that won’t slide sideways but stretch with you.
G-Shield Pro is for cold, wet conditions. It gets a lofted fleecy inside to keep you warm with a treated exterior to keep it from absorbing exterior moisture but still breathe so it won’t get clammy on the inside. Gets pixelated reflectivity on a drop tail and leg bands.
The Tenax Pro is the second level up from the base (Vero Pro, shown at bottom) and adds stretchy sleeves with a slightly casual fit, helping it work well with more body styles. Anyone with a bit of a paunch can order their normal size and the shoulders won’t flap around, and leaner riders can size down to have it fit more slimly at the waist and be more aero up top.
Scatto gets slightly more aggressive cut and fit with aerodynamic paneling, but a slightly less fitted waist to, um, accommodate a more average physique.
Also available in women’s.
Sahara Pro is a new line for climbing and hot, humid conditions.. The size medium jersey is only 90g, so it’s light, but does it without resorting to a full mesh construction. The fabric provides sun protection and breathes really well. Leg bands get perforations.
The Vero Pro is the base level, but it has wool short and long sleeve options in addition to the standard bibshorts and jersey shown here. Also available in standard shorts.
Giordana offer design services with an in house graphic artist that’s been doing cycling clothing for more than 15 years and can take even a verbal idea and create a design for you. They don’t charge extra for fluorescent colors or the design services, and they have a low 10-piece minimum that can be an mix and match of any size and gender per line (so, 10 FRC Pro S/S jerseys or 10 Tenax Pro L/S Thermal jerseys, for example). They have an online management tool that allows each team member to login and order and pay for just their kits, freeing the team management or shop from having to deal with collections. Size sample kits can be ordered so you can try it on…you pay shipping to get it, but it comes with a free return shipping label.
