MILAN — Against a still uncertain backdrop for the textile sector, the three-day trade show Milano Unica looked to the future and put innovation at its center. The 43rd edition was titled “From Roots to the Future: Innovation in Textiles and Fashion” and set a record for the highest number of exhibitors to date.
A total of 737 exhibitors participated, including 604 across the Ideabiella, Moda In and Shirt Avenue sections. In addition to the 460 confirmed Italian exhibitors, the fair, which closed July 9, recorded a significant 15.2 percent increase in European exhibitors. On the buyers’ side, another record was achieved, with international attendance reaching nearly 50 percent of the total for the first time.
“In a context that remains challenging for the sector, seeing buyers from different markets with a concrete approach focused on collection development is an important signal,” said Simone Canclini, Milano Unica president. “It tells us that Italian textiles continue to be recognized as a strategic partner when it comes to innovation, creativity, quality and reliability.”
“The theme chosen for this edition is already an operational plan for the sector. ‘Made in Italy’ is a continuous, day-to-day process aimed at achieving and maintaining a high standard of quality,” said Valentino Valentini, deputy minister for Enterprises and Made in Italy, during the opening conference. “Today, as we move from a product-based economy to a process-based economy, innovation combined with tradition is the key to maintaining competitiveness in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing international market.”
