Filo66 Highlights Balance for a Stronger Textile Supply Chain
The 66th edition of Filo opened at Fiera Milano Rho with a focus on a stronger and more competitive textile supply chain.
The opening ceremony carried the theme “Weaving the Future: balance for a stronger, more competitive textile and fashion supply chain”.
Industry leaders discussed the challenges facing textiles and fashion. They also explored opportunities for growth, innovation and collaboration.
The speakers focused on one central question. How can the supply chain find the right balance between competitiveness, sustainability and growth?
Filo66 Opens With a Focus on Growth
Paolo Monfermoso, Head of Filo, opened the ceremony.
“The sector is going through a challenging situation, with circumstances varying from company to company. As far as Filo is concerned, both the number of exhibitors at this 66th edition – which is in line with February’s one – and the number of buyers already registered this morning give us reason to hope for good results”.
The latest edition maintains exhibitor numbers close to those recorded in February. Buyer registrations also offered a positive indication at the start of the event.
Meanwhile, Pier Francesco Corcione, General Director of Biella Industrial Union (UIB), highlighted the role of B2B trade fairs.
“The 66th edition of Filo confirms the value of B2B trade fairs as concrete tools for business development: in a market wherever-greater capacity for innovation and collaboration is increasing, it is essential to create meaningful opportunities for networking. Filo puts the textile supply chain at the core, fostering dialogue among all its key players and promoting expertise, sustainability and research. It is from the strength of the supply chain that the sector’s competitiveness stems, and this is the asset that our event continues to promote and strengthen: businesses”.
Made in Italy Takes Centre Stage
Emanuele Ramella Pralungo, President of the Province of Biella, welcomed participants at Filo66.
He highlighted the importance of protecting the Made in Italy identity. He also stressed the value of collaboration between different industry stakeholders.
“I am particularly pleased to be here at Filo, a trade fair that showcases the excellence of yarns and ‘Made in Italy’ products. As a politician and public administrator, I am convinced that ‘Made in Italy’ brand must be actively preserved by tackling the challenges facing the sector and seeking solutions that are as widely supported as possible. I am convinced that bringing the various sectors together around a table is always the best and quickest way to reach a consensus on complex issues. Speeding up decision-making also means recognising that sometimes it is better to entrust decisions to the body closest to the local area, such as the provinces, rather than centralising them.”
Fulvia Bacchi, CEO of Lineapelle, also underlined the value of industry collaboration.
She reiterated the importance of “the synergy we have built with Filo, whilst respecting the identity and unique characteristics of each trade fair. Our exhibitions are important and must be promoted”.
Supporting Italian Businesses Globally
Matteo Masini, Head of the Consumer Goods Office at ITA, highlighted the agency’s long-standing partnership with Filo.
“Filo has made remarkable progress in recent years; I can attest to this first-hand, having followed its development. This year, ITA celebrates its centenary, a significant milestone. Then as now, our role is to support businesses in their internationalisation process. As far as trade fairs are concerned, our work does not only consist of organising buyers’ delegations but extends throughout the year: our offices in various countries act as a gateway to markets that are often complex.”
His comments highlighted the wider role of trade fairs in connecting Italian companies with international markets.
Italian Textile Industry Shows Global Strength
The second part of the ceremony featured a round-table discussion. Laura Ricardi, Head of the UIB press office, moderated the session.
Ricardi presented key figures on Italy’s textile and clothing industry.
The sector accounts for around 30% of European production. Italy remains the European Union’s leading producer. It is also Europe’s second-largest exporter and the world’s fifth-largest exporter.
In 2025, the industry recorded €58.39 billion in turnover. It includes around 37,500 companies and more than 372,000 employees.
The discussion then turned to the meaning of balance within the supply chain.
Speakers examined how companies can combine competitiveness, sustainability, innovation and manufacturing expertise.
Sustainability Requires Collective Action
Michele Pozzi, Sales Director of Linificio e Canapificio Nazionale, connected sustainability with supply chain cooperation.
“Sustainability is not an individual goal, but a collective journey. In the world of linen, the future belongs to supply chains that are united, transparent, innovative and responsible. Since when a supply chain is cohesive, it produces more than just fibres, yarns, fabrics or finished products. It produces trust. And trust is the most precious raw material for building the textiles of the future”.
His comments placed trust and transparency at the heart of future textile development.
Supporting Small Businesses
Cesare Cigolini, Managing Director of Achille Pinto, focused on smaller companies.
“Balance in the supply chain is achieved by supporting small artisan businesses – those that represent the ‘core’ of Made in Italy. It means integrating small businesses, with their innovation and creativity, into the supply chain, to ensure they have the organisational and financial capacity to meet brands’ requirements in terms of sustainability and traceability. In short, it means growing together – large and small businesses alike.”
He highlighted the role of small businesses in preserving Italian craftsmanship and creativity.
At the same time, these companies need the capacity to meet growing requirements for sustainability and traceability.
Protecting Skills Across the Supply Chain
Stefano Aglietta, Chair of the Spinning Section of UIB, focused on upstream manufacturing.
“In spinning, the stability of a strong supply chain depends on the ability to safeguard even the most fragile links in the production chain. If the upstream links see a decline in skills, specialisations and that entrepreneurial diversity which makes our system unique, the whole production chain is weakened. This requires a willingness to rebalance the relationship between price and added value along the supply chain, acknowledging that a business generates not only profit, but also jobs, social cohesion and well-being for the local area. Looking to the future, I envisage a supply chain geared towards balanced development: not infinite growth, but a model capable of balancing value creation, the responsible use of resources and the redistribution of wealth across the local area.”
Aglietta stressed the need to protect specialist skills. He also called for greater recognition of manufacturing value.
Rising Costs Put Pressure on Manufacturers
Marco Bortolini, Vice President UIB for the Development of Industrial Supply Chains, addressed rising production costs.
“Our textile supply chain preserves inside expertise – which has been taken for granted and undervalued for years – that is now considered as strategic for system’s survival. Both environmental and social sustainability, creativity and ‘industrial craftsmanship’ are unique to our businesses. Unfortunately, the rise in the costs of raw materials, energy and labour is heavily weighing on manufacturing firms and processors, precisely in the segment of the supply chain where added value is most compressed and where the foundations of the product are laid. If these costs continue to erode margins and investment capacity, without concrete long-term intervention from policymakers, the balance will remain skewed. Personally, we are working to ensure that new criteria – which prioritise sustainability, skills and innovation throughout the supply chain, including in pricing – can clearly bring the value of manufacturing to the fore across the entire supply chain. Looking ahead, I imagine that consumers too must play their part in this balance, recognising the true value of the product they purchase, not least for its contribution to social cohesion. We must always remember that industrial system, 99% of which consists of SMEs, is the backbone of our society.”
His comments highlighted the pressure created by higher raw material, energy and labour costs.
He also pointed to the need for pricing models that recognise sustainability, skills and innovation.
People Remain Central to Textile Competitiveness
Patrizia Salemi, HR Manager at Vimar 1991, focused on people and skills.
“Competitiveness of textile supply chain depends on people. The labour market has changed and manufacturing must evolve too: we must succeed in preserving and passing on extraordinary expertise, whilst at the same time creating organisations capable of meeting the expectations of younger generations. Technology and AI will change the way we work, but it will still be people who make the difference.”
Her comments highlighted the importance of attracting younger workers. They also stressed the need to transfer specialist knowledge to future generations.
Collaboration Can Support the Circular Transition
Sergio Tamborini, former President of Confindustria Moda, highlighted collaboration across the industry.
“The strength of the Italian textile sector derives from the supply chain and its ability to bring together expertise, quality, innovation and the local area. Today, we must strike a new balance between upstream and downstream sectors, sustainability and competitiveness, and innovation and manufacturing know-how. The transition to a circular economy is an unmissable industrial opportunity. No company can tackle this transformation on its own: the future is built by strengthening the supply chain and our ability to evolve together.”
His remarks reinforced the event’s central theme. The industry needs closer cooperation to manage its next phase of transformation.
Filo66 Connects Innovation With Industry Strength
Filo66 placed supply chain balance at the centre of its opening discussions.
The speakers highlighted several priorities. These include sustainability, skills, innovation and internationalisation.
They also stressed the importance of supporting both large companies and SMEs.
Furthermore, the discussions underlined the role of technology and AI. At the same time, speakers recognised that people and manufacturing expertise remain essential.
The 66th edition of Filo takes place on 15 and 16 September 2026 at Fiera Milano Rho, Hall 24.
