Milano Unica has opened its 43rd edition, taking place in Milan at Rho Fiera from July 7 to 9.
The exhibition has seen an increase in exhibitor participation, featuring 737 exhibitors, of whom 460 are Italian and 144 are European. The number of European exhibitors, up 15.2% compared to the corresponding edition in 2025, reinforces the event’s international character and its “Made in Europe” focus.
In addition to these exhibitors, there are 119 companies representing other sectors, such as beachwear and innovative textiles, as well as high-end specialized weavers from the Korea and Japan Special Areas.
The opening ceremony began with official remarks by Milano Unica President Simone Canclini and numerous local and government officials.
“The trust that Italian and international exhibitors continue to place in Milano Unica represents the most important recognition of the work carried out over the years and, at the same time, a responsibility toward the entire supply chain,” stated Simone Canclini, President of Milano Unica.
This is why they chose to dedicate the opening ceremony to the theme of innovation, addressing it in its broadest sense. “Innovation means investing in research and new technologies, but also promoting Italy’s manufacturing heritage, developing new skills, strengthening dialogue between businesses and institutions, and transforming sustainability into a competitive advantage. Milano Unica aims to continue being the place where these themes come together, are discussed, and give rise to a shared vision,” added the event’s president.
“Made in Italy is a continuous, daily process aimed at achieving and maintaining a high standard of quality. Today, as we transition from a product-based economy to a process-based economy, innovation rooted in tradition is the key to remaining competitive in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing international market,” said Valentino Valentini, Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Made in Italy.
“We need to learn about new tools, open up new markets, and at the same time develop and consolidate our supply chains—the ecosystem in which our production model, consisting largely of SMEs, operates—to best realize the potential of this industry.”
The roundtable discussion, titled “From Roots to the Future: The Path of Innovation in Textiles and Fashion,” addressed the role of innovation as a strategic lever for the supply chain’s competitiveness. On stage were Chiara Beghelli, a journalist for Il Sole24Ore, who offered reflections on innovation as a contemporary reinterpretation of Italy’s artisanal heritage; Erika Andreetta, Partner at PwC Italy and EMEA Fashion & Luxury Leader, who spoke on the role of skills and digital transformation; and Mauro Sampellegrini, Director of Research, Innovation, and Sustainability at Confindustria Moda, who discussed the relationship between innovation Research and Industrial Policy: Stefano Galassi, CEO of Limitless Innovation, on the evolution of processes and models in the fashion system; David Pambianco, CEO of Pambianco, on new competitive strategies in the sector; David Zdravkovic, Partner at OC&C Strategy Consultants, CAO, on international scenarios and market dynamics.
The discussion highlighted a theme that is now crucial for the future of “Made in Italy”—the ability to transform research, expertise, manufacturing culture, and sustainability into competitive value.
Data compiled by the Economic and Statistical Research Office of Confindustria Moda confirms a constantly evolving international landscape, characterized by differing dynamics across markets and geographic areas. “This is precisely why we believe it is essential to carefully analyze these changes so that they can be translated into ne opportunities for businesses,” concludes the President.
The country’s total fabric exports stand at €729 million, down 3.4% compared to the same period last year. The picture, however, shows varying trends both among different product types and among destination markets. In fact, exports of silk fabrics (+7.5%), cotton fabrics (+2.2%), and wool fabrics (+1.2%) are growing, while the overall result is affected by the sharp decline in knitted fabrics (-13.2%).
The export landscape reflects an evolving scenario: exports to strategic countries such as France (+8.5%) and China (+7.8%) and Poland (+19.6%), while the US (-10.7%), Tunisia (-9.1%), Spain (-5.1%), and Germany (-0.8%) saw declines.
At the same time, Germany has become the third-largest source country for Italian textile imports, with a 47.2% increase, trailing only Turkey and China. Against this backdrop, new patterns of international demand are emerging. The growth in Chinese imports of Italian textiles is in fact accompanied by a marked contraction in exports to Hong Kong, altering a long-established pattern in which China and Hong Kong topped the list of the main importing countries of Italian textiles.
“This edition takes place against a particularly challenging international backdrop, with an eight percent contraction in global demand that is also affecting our exports. The entire sector is grappling with growing competitive pressure from competitors in the South. However, our country maintains its fifth-place ranking among global exporters, with a slightly strengthened market share, confirming the capacity of the Italian textile industry to to defend its position,” said Matteo Zoppas, President of ICE Agenzia.
Among the event’s cultural highlights is “The Radical Elegance,” an exhibition dedicated to photographer Gian Paolo Barbieri. Housed within the MU Tendenze Sostenibilità area, the exhibition offers a journey through some of the artist’s most iconic images, in dialogue with the Fall-Winter 2027–2028 collections, creating a convergence of visual culture, creative research, and textile innovation.
Among this edition’s initiatives, the project by The Cube Archive by Stefano Chaissai “Punk is all around” inds its place, confirming the value that Milano Unica places on research and the dialogue between craftsmanship and experimentation.