Cressi’s legacy of innovation began in 1939 with two brothers who shared a passion for the sea and a gift for technical design and working with their hands. Egidio and Nanni Cressi began by crafting masks and spearguns that would allow them to move and hunt more efficiently in the waters near their home. By 1946 their designs and products had become so popular they founded the Cressi company in Genoa, Italy. Today, although Cressi is a worldwide leader in water sports manufacturing, it is still wholly owned by the Cressi family, and the commitment to innovation is still in the company’s DNA. It has a 60-year history of groundbreaking product development, and has often been the first to bring product advancements to the market. These include the Pinnochio mask, the first dive mask with a dedicated nose pocket for easier equalization, and the Rondine freediving fin, with its innovative long blade for maximum efficiency.
Today innovations continue with the crystal silicone and angled lenses of the Big Eyes Evolution mask, and the latest in decompression algorithms of the Leonardo computer. This history of innovation is also made possible by a commitment to manufacture products in Italy at the Cressi facility. An investment in the latest manufacturing equipment and more than 16,000 square meters of roofed space, and the ability to have design and manufacturing process happening side by side has led to the absolute highest standards for quality. It also allows Cressi engineers to quickly develop, test and incorporate the latest materials and technologies. The results today are the same as they were in the beginning, the most advanced and best made products in the world.