Slow design comes to Milan: Alberto Zanone owned a clothing manufacturing business before opening ASAP (an acronym for "as sustainable as possible") with his wife, Carla Lasorte, in the fashionable Garibaldi district in Milan. Zanone knew first hand the frustration of dealing with remnants; his next business would be a solution. The airy, two-story shop is stocked with clothing and a small range of accessories for the home made from remnant yarns and knit fabrics from Italy's high-end fashion manufacturers. ASAP is located at 104 Corso Garibaldi (39-02-659-8157).

Above: ASAP's limited edition, one-of-a-kind cashmere blankets are made in Italy from luxurious Italian yarns.