Editorial: The Italian textile industry invests in inventiveness and craftsmanship

A number of signs are pointing to an upturn in the Italian textile industry. Production in the first six months of 2014 was up by 7.6% compared with the corresponding period a year earlier. Also, it was reported at the European yarn and fabric fairs for the autumn/winter 2015/16 season - held during March-September 2014 - that business was "brisk and positive", and new records were being set in terms of exhibitor numbers and attendance by visitors. The Italian industry is benefiting in particular from good business at the luxury, top end of the market after investing money and creative resources in the development and production of yarns and fabrics of the highest quality and originality. Such investment is confirmed by data from a survey conducted by the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) which show that there were increases in shipments of several categories of machinery to the Italian textile industry in 2013, notably hand knitting and semi-automatic flat knitting machinery which is normally favoured by the textile industries in developing countries but is suitable in developed countries for design and development work. Meanwhile, Italy will be a gathering place for the world's textile industry in November 2015 when ITMA (International Exhibition of Textile Machinery) - a major event for the world's textile machinery industry - is staged in Milan.

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