The 62nd edition of Filo, the International Exhibition of Yarns and Fibres, has closed today at the Alliance MiCo Milan by registering good results. Despite the current economic downturn, buyers appreciated high-quality collections shown by the exhibitors, which embed all innovation’s ability and sustainability’s research of Italian and foreign textile manufacture.
Buyers’ flow has been constant during the two days of fair and it is important to point out the high number of foreign visitors who visited this September Filo edition. In relation to foreign buyers, the historic collaboration between Filo and ITA- Agency allows to organise a delegation of foreign buyers made of 30 professionals and journalists working in this industry coming from the U.K., France, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Turkey, China, Denmark, and South Korea. Internationalisation also represents the focus of the collaboration between Filo and Piedmont Region: thanks to the activity of the Textile Integrated Supply Chain Project (PIF) of Piedmont Region funded by P.R. FESR 2021-2027 and carried out through Ceipiemonte – the Regional Agency for Internationalisation – Filo was also visited by a delegation of buyers coming from France, the U.K., Irland, Austria, Canada, and Tunisia. In the scope of the collaboration between Filo and Piedmont Region, after the visit at the fair, a day full of B2B meetings has been organised in Biella’s district, which enabled the group of buyers to delve into the knowledge of excellent production of textile district.
Paolo Monfermoso, responsible for Filo, said that: ‘The 62nd edition has closed by registering good results. Despite the current situation, due to the slowdowns of international markets, Filo confirmed to be a reference point for all this industry, thanks to its concrete approach based on the conviction that crisis can be overcome through the work, by increasing products’ quality and innovation. According to the exhibitors we have talked with, positive signals are coming in relation to the job done during the two days of fair, since professionals working in this industry are sure to find here very high-quality collections and services aiming at facilitating partnerships and bringing together demand and supply of yarns and materials.’.
The core of the 62nd edition was circularity in textile industry. The Ministry for the Environment – Gilberto Pichetto Fratin – talked about circularity in its greeting video. Elena Chiorino too, vice president of Piedmont Region, talked with exhibitors about circularity during her visit at Filo on the second day of fair. Also, the inauguration ceremony was focused on circularity: the ceremony was entitled ‘Green Innovation in Europe. Through RegioGreenTex project, Biella and Prato bring the companies towards the future of textile industry’. The project has been presented in detail by Paola Fontana (Città Studi – Pointex Project Manager), while during the round table, moderated by Alessandra Chiara Guffanti (Owner of Guffanti Concept Showroom) four out of 26 companies among the ones participating in RegioGreenTex – coordinated by Biella and Prato hub with Po.in.tex cluster (Biella) and Next Technology Tecnotessile (Prato) – talked about their experience.
Paolo Monfermoso said: ‘We have decided to focus the opening ceremony of the 62nd edition of Filo on a European project – RegioGreenTex – since it is based on the collaboration among institutional players, research centres, and companies. Therefore, from the beginning of our sustainability project – FiloFlow – we have always had an approach to sustainability and circularity that combines pragmatism and entrepreneurial vision addressed to innovation. RegioGreenTex shows that, to face today and tomorrow’s challenges, there’s the need for a further piece: teaming up concretely; Filo shares this kind of approach in promoting all its activities, trying to strengthen textile supply chain’.
Monfermoso also added that: ‘Filo is looking to the future, and during the 62nd edition we have launched several new projects: the first one is that February Filo edition will be held in a new exhibition area, at Fiera Milano City in viale Scarampo – Gate 3.The 63rd edition of Filo is scheduled to be held on the 26th and the 27th of February 2025 at Fiera Milano City – Viale Scarampo – Gate 3 (Eginardo) Milan.
