MILAN — A breeze of cautious optimism ran through the hallways of the Milano-Rho fairgrounds during the 28th edition of the Milano Unica textile trade show, which closed here on Feb. 7.
The 467 exhibitors at the fair presented their collections for spring 2020 focusing on high-tech performance fabrics, sustainable innovations, as well as on the implementation of digital services.
Despite soaring prices for raw materials — especially wool — currency fluctuations and uneven trade performances, the textile sector held momentum in 2018, with sales expected to close at 7.86 billion euros, substantially in line with the previous year, according to preliminary data released by Confindustria Moda for the January-to-October period.
Exports to China, Hong Kong and Japan were up 3 percent, 6.1 percent and 8.6 percent, respectively, while the U.S. lagged behind, down 12.6 percent compared to 2017. Germany, still the most relevant European importer of Italian fabrics, registered a 2.1 percent fall.
Reflecting the economic trends, the number of visiting companies was stable compared with the same edition in 2018, totaling 6,000 visitors with Japanese and South Koreans growing 15 percent and 5 percent, respectively. The trade show organizer noted Chinese visitors dropped due to the concurrence of the Chinese New Year.
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