Enzo Lotti has passed away, the man who "slipped in since 1965", inventing the toothpick as we know it today. Even those you've never heard of
In every house there is at least one package, there are those who use them to pierce canapés and saltimbocca, those who are literally teasing their teeth. It is one of the most common and everyday objects in the world, and industry leaders are a national company. Now Italy is mourning its founder: Enzo Lotti, founder of the Samurai, died suddenly, he was 87 years old.
Mantua, 1965
It all began in 1965 thanks to the brothers Enzo and Giovanni Lotti of the Sisma Group of Mantova. When they meet Mr. Tanaka, a Japanese merchant who exports wood, they fall in love with his birch. With the passion and courage of the pioneers, they choose it to produce toothpicks. They invent the Samurai brand, a name that recalls discipline, honor, harmony and a "warrior" spirit and the virtues of other times. And then it's a Japanese name, like the prized Hokkaido birch trees used to produce iconic appetizers. Today the Sisma operates with three production plants and a logistic center located in the provinces of Mantua and Milan, specializing in the production of household items, production of cotton wool and derivatives and personal care (such as make-up pads, ear buds, cotton balls and wipes wipes).
Why birch wood
Birch wood is characterized by its light color and the presence of thin veins that enhance its aesthetic appearance. Among more than 30 different types, Samurai prefers the variety of the White Birch coming from the extreme north of China, where the plant also grows up to 28 meters in height. To make the toothpicks use only the central part of the trunk, which is harder but also flexible. Bamboo also comes from China, from the pristine forests of Guilin, in the southeast of the country. To make Samurai skewers, they select only the top of the plant stem, ideal for food use due to its strength, flexibility and resistance to heat and humidity.
The etiquette says
For the followers of etiquette, it is used only in the toilet, never at the table, never in public.
The gourmet version
They exist in cases, wrapped one by one, and also in a gourmet version: Kokeshi, mint flavored and goose feather flavored, with an innovative and extremely flexible design.
For professionals
They produce them of every size, long from skewers, small ones for aperitifs, of medium size. And then the wrapped cutlery, ready for canteens and fast food.
The compostable straws
Say enough to plastic? The Samurai straws are made of biodegradable and compostable PLA, or bicolor paper. Made with 60% renewable raw materials (derived from corn production).
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