The 54th edition of Filo, the international yarns and fibres exhibition, closed yesterday with positive results, despite the difficult situation the textile industry is facing, the show’s organiser reports.

Mr. Paolo Monfermoso, general manager of Filo, commented: “The 54th edition of Filo closed with positive results, which have been achieved during a very difficult economic situation. In this edition, there were 70 exhibitors, while the number of visitors were higher than expected, and foreign buyers too, especially from France, also thanks to the cooperation with ITA-Agency.”

“For the yarns’ industry, the 54th edition of Filo has represented the first chance to come back to the ‘fair in attendance’ and it has affirmed the will of companies to re-start, the desire to meet each other again and to get back to growth’s path together. In other words, Filo has confirmed that virtual fairs are not enough to show the great creativity of our companies, their work of continuous research and their ability to customise solutions, finding the most adequate one for each client: all this is achieved only through the crucial moment of a physical fair.”

“The autumn edition of Filo has also been the first to take place at Mi-Co, Milan Convention Centre: the choice of the new venue enabled us to enlarge the spaces, giving more visibility to the Trend Area. In addition, Mi-Co enabled us also to comply with the rules on social distancing, ensuring to exhibitors and visitors a total safe presence at Filo. FiloFlow, the sustainability project of Filo, continues to attract great success. The number of participating exhibitors is constantly increasing from one edition to the next, and now the project involves the most part of the exhibiting companies. This reflect our exhibitors’ commitment to the issue and their growing desire to communicate to external parties all the progresses made in the field.”

Mr. Monfermoso added: “In conclusion, the two days of the 54th edition of Filo have been intense, animated by the passion of our companies: they have shown a real will to restart, based on the enhancement of unique production, that is the result of experience and the unmistakable workmanship that is the trademark of the Italian textile manufacture”.

Despite not being able to personally participate in the 54th edition of Filo, Lucia Azzolina, Minister for Education, sent a video-message where she highlighted how her Minister is committed to implement, especially in relation to technical and professional education, “consistent and updated didactic proposals designed to meet companies’ needs. Here comes the support and the strengthening of Higher Technical Institutes (ITS), an educational model which continues to grow and convince.”

Two special visits enriched the first day of the 54th edition of Filo: the yarn exhibition has was visited by Elena Chiorino, Councillor for Training, Education and Employment of Piedmont Region, and by Massimo Giletti, the famous journalist, television presenter and author. Giovanni Vietti, President of Unione Industriale Biellese, also visited the fair.

Councillor Chiorino commented: “Filo is an extremely interesting fair, proposing products which show the expertise of companies focused on quality and sustainability. Therefore, it is key that Italy defines an industrial policy, on the basis of which investments on innovation and training should be set, particularly on technical education, to ensure to the companies the necessary skills for their development."

Massimo Giletti visited Filo playing a special role, since his family company was one of the exhibiting companies and he stressed how “Filo represents the Italy which does not live in subventions world. This is the Italy which does not give up, that does not de-localize and that today wants to re-start.”

Exhibitors’ comments at the end of the second day expressed the satisfaction for the work carried out during the 54th edition of Filo, the organisers add.

Pietro Giovane from Forza Giovane Art – one of the companies that participated in the 54th edition of Filo in the new section ‘Services and accessories for companies’, said: “This is our first time at Filo, an interesting fair in many aspects. We are here by bringing our long tradition of trimming, but we are looking to the future. Future indeed lies in young people, and we work with threads to create a new beauty”.

Christian Spiritu from Davifil commented: “For us the 54th Filo edition has been positive, considering also the extremely delicate moment that this sector is living. We have registered a high number of visitors, foreign ones too, especially from France and Portugal. Our company proposes a wide range of high-quality products. We aim at producing natural products, propose recycled yarns and work with non-dyed wool waste.”

Emanuele Giletti from Giletti spa, added: “This is our first time at Filo, but our opinion about the fair is extremely positive. We have received visits from usual clients, but we also have had new contacts, very concrete ones. We also find that the location chosen by Filo was excellent, very functional and equipped with adequate services. Among the products which drew attention, I want to mention our regenerated cotton to be matched with Lurex or lamè yarns.”

Maurizio Mancini from Tintoria Mancini, said: “Filo gave a strong signal for re-starting, that this sector needed. The edition resulted to be very positive, at Filo we have met lots of our clients, who are exhibitors too. As dyeing mill, we are strongly committed in spreading the concept of sustainability, that in Biella’s territory is particularly virtuous. And we are doing it with our campaign #aspassoconlapecora (#goingoutwiththeship), which aims at making people understanding the production process of wool, whose dyeing is an essential step. There is a lot of diffidence towards dyeing mills; people think that these processes are particularly polluting, while people working in Italy comply with severe rules. We are personally focused on a production process that allows us to give back to the nature what we take from it.”

The 55th edition of Filo is scheduled for 24-25 February 2021 at MiCo. Biella, Italy.

www.filo.it