In 1920 a group of nobles founded the Fabbrica Italiana Lapis Affini in Florence: a fleur-de-lys as an emblem, offices in a sixteenth century building.
In 1923, FILA invents colours, puts them in a cardboard box creating Giotto, the Italian coloured pencil.

The war slowed production and even FILA made sacrifices, replacing the noble California Cedar, used for its even and parallel fibres, with Bergamo linden wood.
In 1956 the Candela family joined FILA, the company moved to Milan to Corso Sempione 127 and regained market shares with a winning strategy based on continuous technology, product and tool innovation: from the collection of the legendary bookmarks that thrilled generations of school kids to the geometry textbook.
The FILA revolution continued in 1959 with the ballpoint pen and practical Lyretta, produced in association with Lyra Italy, then the leader who later joined the FILA family.

The market becomes increasingly more demanding and FILA meets demand head on: plastic sector production was launched in the Milan factory giving rise to Giotto Fibra, the forefather of coloured fibre pens.
FILA entered ateliers with the Tiziano line and its coloured, watercolour and drawing pencils Along with quality products, FILA brings creativity to schools with a multitude of popular initiatives promoting expressive education, contests and educational exhibits, update supplies and seminars on art education. New success hits in 1973: in association with Design Group Italia and TBWA, Tratto Pen is introduced winning the Compasso d'Oro prize in 1979 for design originality and functionality.

After the revolutionary Tratto, ballpoint and roller pens, highlighters, markers, correction pens and automatic pencils are introduced. The line expands with a wide range of products, designed by FILA to guarantee soft, accurate, smooth and constant writing in any situation.
FILA invents new colours with the new Giotto Turbo series and, in 1994, penetrates the modelling dough market by purchasing Adica Pongo: three-dimensional expressive possibilities for all ages with Das, Didò and Pongo.
In 2000, it purchased the French Omyacolor to become the European modelling dough leader and world chalk leader.
FILA's inventive spirit is confirmed in 2004 with the introduction of Giotto Be-bè, the exclusive and safe line for young children, and strengthens its support for social and cultural efforts. In 2005 it purchased the American sector leader Dixon Ticonderoga Prang and, in full expansion, writes a new winning chapter for the near future in 2008: it purchased the legendary German company Lyra, ready to penetrate new markets and win over great young talents.