FLORENCE — Forget dark and cold winters. Shimmering, soft, voluminous yet lightweight textiles and a warm sense of coziness took center stage at the latest edition of Pitti Filati here. A return to joy, color exploration and a mix of different cultures inspired the fall 2019 textile collections showcased at the Fortezza da Basso venue, reflecting the overall momentum yarn makers are experiencing and buyers’ openness at the three-day trade show. After a cautious year for the Italian textile industry, with sales remaining flat at 2.8 billion euros in 2017 compared to the previous year and exports decreasing 0.4 percent to 824 million euros, this year started on a high note. In particular, in the first quarter exports climbed 5.5 percent to 225 million euros compared to the same period last year, according to figures released by Confindustria Moda. The same recovery was experienced by textile producer Cariaggi, which last year totaled 88 million euros in sales, down 5.3 percent compared to 2016, but kicked off 2018 on the right foot. In the first quarter, the company’s sales grew 8.7 percent in Italy, while exports increased 4.3 percent. Top-performing markets for the mills included France, China, Japan, the U.K. and Germany, which grew 29 percent,

Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

Read More...

from WWDWWD https://ift.tt/2zfIwuf