Filo in Milan, 27-28^th September, presenting yarns for Spring Summer 2019, was confident, bigger and echoed the fashion momentum, which is presently clear. Many more exhibitors, taking the number to over 100, including many from overseas, had chosen the venue to present their yarns for the new season with the emphasis on colour, technical features and originality.

Blending of high quality fibres – silk, mohair, linen included a fair amount of summer wool, firmly entrenched in the wardrobe for the season now. As well as natural ingredients, there were many technical fibres involved in these yarns for both knitting and weaving. Filature Française de Mohair (Sudwolle Group) offering yarns in pure mohair and blends, both raw and dyed.

The circular economy, with high standards of manufacture and husbandry of resources is a going concern. A high-profile conference on the subject on the first day of Filo included industry leaders and many textile professionals. Eco influences are important, especially in yarns, where it is crucial if garments further down the line are to be certified or deemed to be compliant with various of these certificates. Policy influencers are reinforcing the importance of this direction for Italian yarns and textiles.

The re-use of off-cuts from making new items or fashioning yarn from previously used garments is growing. Ecotec for instance, by Marchi & Fildi has found more partners and now introduced a new Ecotec blended yarn, aptly named Phoenix, in cotton/polyester derived from 100% re-used production waste, enabling brighter colours.

As well as spinning natural yarns of cotton, linen and silk, the company also presented a new viscose/polyester in fine counts, suitable for summer jersey. There were many examples of light jersey in the well consulted Trend Area designed by Gianni Bologna, and the trend theme Planet Earth showing directional yarns and fabrics from the exhibitors most showing the colour effects and textures achieved.

Colours for the new season were light and bright, including pale blues, white, cream, pink and red. There was much use of blue generally in yarns with knops and flecks and strong shades of an electric blue for jersey and other garments. Floral tones were chosen frequently including for new holographic yarns by Lurex, in shades of pink, lilac and purple. High quality metallised yarns and effect yarns are extremely popular, along with light and transparent coloured yarns, Lurex included a new range of metallic yarn with flame retardant (FR) properties.

Fancy yarns dominated, with slubs, boules, frisé, neps and stretch; fancy melanges, jaspé, mouliné, flame, mini tweeds and twisted effects, for example. Ilaria renowned for fancies. Pozzi Electa are known as innovators and specialised in complex blends; such as 42% viscose-29% cotton-29% polyamide or classy blended cotton and dyed linen, “real snazzy stuff”, as one English designer remarked. Linen, bamboo, ramie and hemp, in blends or solo were popular, as were Tencel blends with modal and microfibres.

Most exhibitors mentioned the need to increase stocks as the pace of the industry becomes more unpredictable, often demanding almost instant satisfaction. Basic colour cottons are joined by more unusual fashion colours; certainly, many of the fabric developments shown alongside the yarns included flame effects, or marls in unusual combinations.

The innovations and complexities, which mark one collection out from the other, resulted in a busier, more lively season than perhaps was predicted.