Pitti Filati: Will Italian Yarn Makers Be Able to Up Their Game?

MILAN — Quality, yes. Innovation, sure. Sustainability, of course. The recipe served by Italian textile houses is a tested one: often passed by parents to children and perfected through the years, it guarantees a certain outcome every time. But is it enough to feed their businesses? The domestic political difficulties, uncertainties linked to Brexit and the commercial tensions between the U.S. and China, as well as the increasing costs of raw materials — especially wool and cotton — are among the elements adding bitterness to spinners’ tested formula. According to projections released by industry association Sistema Moda Italia earlier this year, revenues for the fashion and textile sector are expected to gain only 1.5 percent in the first half of 2019 compared with the same period in the previous year. In particular, the textile area is forecast to grow only 1.1 percent. In the January-June 2019 period, exports are listed to be the industry’s driving force but apparently growing at a slower pace, gaining 1.8 percent compared with the 2.6 percent increase registered in the same period in 2018. It’s no surprise then that exhibitors at Florence-based Pitti Filati textile trade show, opening today and running through June 28, will be sporting a cautious approach. “It’s

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