Exports of Italian textiles to non-EU countries in 2017 were up by 1.8 per cent. The greatest contribution to growth was made by the domestic market, mostly involving production destined for subsequent export.

Exports of Italian textiles to China and Hong Kong grew by 12 per cent over the first ten months of 2017. Exports to the US were up, as were those to Spain while those to the UK and Germany were flat and exports to France and Romania fell.

In the January-October period, exports of knits were up by 2.4 per cent after two years of negative results. Over the same time span, exports of combed wool fabrics were up by 5.5 per cent while exports of worsted wool fabrics fell by 4.5 per cent. Cotton, which was up after the first two quarters by 1.2 per cent, instead closed out the ten month period with a loss of 0.9 per cent. Linen was also down by 5.3 per cent and pure silk dropped by 9.2 per cent. Silk fabrics of chemical composition were instead up by 5.5 per cent.

The trade surplus for the sector was up by 0.4 per cent compared to 2016. The surplus of the textile sector accounts for 25.4 per cent of the trade balance of the overall fashion-textile production chain although textiles account for only 15 per cent of total sales.