Scheduled from Aug 27-29, 2024, in Shanghai, the upcoming Intertextile Apparel Fabrics trade show will feature 45 of the best Italian producers of high-end textiles and accessories. These exhibitors will present their Fall/Winter 2025-2026 collections to the Chinese market, which ranks as the third-largest export market after France and Spain, with a 7.4 per cent share.

Spanning over 800 sqm, the exhibition area will cater to a highly targeted clientele from the local and international markets, increasingly drawn to Italian manufacturing excellence, technological innovation, and sustainable products.

The Italian Trade Agency (ICE) has played a crucial role in organising the event, supporting the international expansion of Made-in-Italy businesses and boosting the visibility of Milano Unica, which has grown as a prominent brand in the elite trade show circuit.

This trade show is a significant event for the Italian textile industry especially as Chinese imports show encouraging signs of a gradual recovery. In the first quarter, retail sales increased by 4.7 per cent, with additional 3.7 per cent in April and May, avers Augusto Di Giacinto, Director, Italian Trade Agency ICE in Shanghai. In this delicate market phase, Chinese consumers are seeking innovation, quality, research, and storytelling. All these characteristics will be displayed by the best Italian Companies at the event through their Fall/Winter 2025-26 collections, he adds.

Compared to the July 2023 edition, the 39th edition of Milano Unica at Fiera Milano Rho registered an 18 per cent rise in exhibitors totaling 700. These included 569 companies, numerous research and content areas. The participation of buyers from China and other major target markets rose by 55 per cent compared to the July 2023 edition. This success resulted from the rigorous strategy in selecting companies and the creative content of the proposals, adds Simone Canclini, President, Milano Unica.