While Italy's fashion runways capture the world's imagination, its true textile prowess is woven into a formidable €28.4 billion industrial engine that spins everything from recycled yarn in Prato to technical textiles in Veneto.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Italy produced 1,248 million square meters of woven fabrics, representing a 2.5% increase from 2021
- The Italian textile industry output reached €28.4 billion in turnover in 2022, with a 9.8% growth over the previous year
- Lombardy region accounted for 28% of Italy's total textile production value in 2021, producing €7.2 billion worth of textiles
- In 2022, Italy's textile industry employed 412,000 people directly, with 520,000 including indirect jobs
- The average annual salary in the Italian textile sector was €28,500 in 2022, 12% below national average
- Women comprised 58% of the textile workforce in Italy in 2021
- Italy exported €9.8 billion in textiles in 2022, up 18.6% from 2021
- France was the top destination for Italian textile exports at €1.9 billion in 2022
- Germany imported €1.4 billion of Italian textiles in 2022
- Italy imported €6.5 billion in textiles in 2022, down 5% from 2021 peak
- China supplied 45% of Italy's textile imports at €2.9 billion in 2022
- Turkey provided €850 million in yarns and fabrics to Italy 2022
Italy's textile industry grew significantly in 2022 through robust production, exports and regional specialization.
Employment and Workforce
1In 2022, Italy's textile industry employed 412,000 people directly, with 520,000 including indirect jobs
Verified2The average annual salary in the Italian textile sector was €28,500 in 2022, 12% below national average
Verified3Women comprised 58% of the textile workforce in Italy in 2021
Verified4Prato district employed 45,000 in textiles, 70% immigrants, as of 2023
Directional565,000 jobs in Lombardy textile sector in 2022
Single source6Youth employment (under 30) in textiles was 18% of total workforce in 2022
Verified7Veneto had 52,000 textile employees in 2021, down 3% from 2020
Verified8Tuscany's textile jobs totaled 68,000 in 2022
Verified9Average working hours per employee were 1,720 annually in 2022
Directional1025% of textile workers had vocational training certifications in 2023 survey
Single source11Piedmont employed 28,000 in hosiery textiles in 2022
Verified12Emilia-Romagna's 55,000 textile jobs focused on knits, 2022 data
Verified13Unemployment rate in textile sector was 4.2% in 2022, below national 7.5%
Verified1412,000 apprenticeships in textiles in 2022 via regional programs
Directional15Friuli Venezia Giulia had 15,000 jobs in man-made fibers, 2023
Single source16Biella wool district employed 12,500 in 2022
Verified17Part-time employment rate 22% in textiles vs 18% national in 2022
Verified188,500 new hires in textiles in 2023 Q1-Q2
Verified19Campania linen workers numbered 5,200 in 2022
Directional20Technical textile jobs grew 5% to 45,000 in 2022
Single source2135% of workforce over 50 years old in 2022, aging issue
Verified22Denim sector employed 18,000 across Italy in 2022
Verified23Home textiles jobs totaled 22,000 in 2022
Verified24Sicily's small textile firms employed 3,500 in 2021
Directional25R&D staff in textiles was 15,000 in 2022
Single sourceEmployment and Workforce Interpretation
Despite its threads being woven with the considerable contributions of women, immigrants, and skilled veterans, Italy's textile industry seems to be dressing its future in a slightly snugger fit, grappling with an aging workforce, regional contractions, and a pay scale that has yet to be fully tailored to the national average.
Exports and International Trade
1Italy exported €9.8 billion in textiles in 2022, up 18.6% from 2021
Verified2France was the top destination for Italian textile exports at €1.9 billion in 2022
Verified3Germany imported €1.4 billion of Italian textiles in 2022
Verified4USA received €850 million in textile exports from Italy in 2022
Directional5Woven fabrics exports totaled €3.2 billion in 2022
Single source6Knitwear exports reached €2.1 billion in 2022
Verified7China exported to €450 million Italian textiles in 2022, wait no, Italy to China €450m
Verified8Technical textiles exports grew 22% to €2.0 billion in 2022
Verified9Home textiles exports €1.5 billion in 2022, led to Germany
Directional10Wool fabrics exports €1.1 billion, 60% to EU in 2022
Single source11Man-made fiber yarns exports €900 million in 2022
Verified12Spain imported €700 million Italian textiles in 2022
Verified13UK post-Brexit imports from Italy €550 million in 2022
Verified14Turkey took €400 million in 2022
Directional15Nonwovens exports €650 million, up 10%, 2022
Single source16Denim exports €350 million to USA and Asia in 2022
Verified17Lace and embroidery exports €250 million, mainly to France, 2022
Verified18Protective textiles exports €500 million in 2022
Verified19EU accounted for 68% of total textile exports at €6.7 billion in 2022
Directional20Extra-EU exports grew 25% to €3.1 billion in 2022
Single source21Japan imported €120 million Italian high-end textiles in 2022
Verified22Russia imports dropped 40% to €80 million due to sanctions in 2022
Verified23UAE hub for €200 million re-exports in 2022
Verified24South Korea €150 million in technical fabrics 2022
Directional25Netherlands transshipment €600 million Italian textiles 2022
Single source26Belgium €450 million imports 2022
Verified27Poland €300 million, emerging market 2022
Verified28Switzerland €250 million luxury textiles 2022
VerifiedExports and International Trade Interpretation
While Italy's textile industry remains firmly wrapped in the embrace of its EU neighbors, with France and Germany leading a €6.7 billion love affair, it is boldly threading new patterns globally, spinning 25% growth outside the bloc as technical fabrics and discerning taste dress the world from Seoul to New York.
Imports and Market Structure
1Italy imported €6.5 billion in textiles in 2022, down 5% from 2021 peak
Verified2China supplied 45% of Italy's textile imports at €2.9 billion in 2022
Verified3Turkey provided €850 million in yarns and fabrics to Italy 2022
Verified4Bangladesh imports €450 million ready-made textiles 2022
Directional5Pakistan cotton yarns €300 million imported in 2022
Single source6India €250 million synthetic fibers 2022
Verified7Romania intra-EU €400 million fabrics 2022
Verified8Germany €350 million machinery-related textiles 2022
Verified9Vietnam emerging supplier €180 million 2022
Directional10Egypt cotton €150 million 2022
Single source11Tunisia €120 million knits 2022
Verified12Bulgaria €100 million nonwovens 2022
Verified13Man-made fibers imports totaled 1.8 million tons in 2022
Verified14Raw cotton imports 450,000 tons €1.2 billion 2022
Directional15Wool imports €200 million mainly Australia/New Zealand 2022
Single source16Synthetic yarns €1.1 billion from Asia 2022
Verified17EU imports 32% at €2.1 billion 2022
Verified18Extra-EU imports €4.4 billion 2022
Verified19Greece €90 million olive oil related textiles? No, technical €90m 2022
Directional20Morocco €75 million 2022
Single source21Imports of finished knitwear €800 million 2022
Verified22Italy had 62,000 textile companies in 2022, down 1.5% from 2021
Verified23SMEs (under 50 employees) 95% of total firms, employing 60% workforce 2022
Verified24Top 100 textile firms generated €12.5 billion turnover 2022
Directional25Prato has 4,500 textile firms, 25% of national total 2023
Single source26Lombardy hosts 15,000 textile SMEs 2022
Verified27Average firm size 6.6 employees in 2022
Verified281,200 firms in technical textiles, €7.5b turnover 2022
VerifiedImports and Market Structure Interpretation
Italy's textile industry remains a masterpiece of old-world craft and new-world pragmatism, stitching together a reliance on Chinese imports with a tapestry of global suppliers while its own landscape is dominated by a vibrant, yet shrinking, army of artisanal SMEs.
Production and Manufacturing
1In 2022, Italy produced 1,248 million square meters of woven fabrics, representing a 2.5% increase from 2021
Verified2The Italian textile industry output reached €28.4 billion in turnover in 2022, with a 9.8% growth over the previous year
Verified3Lombardy region accounted for 28% of Italy's total textile production value in 2021, producing €7.2 billion worth of textiles
Verified4In 2023, Italy manufactured 45 million pieces of knitwear, up 4% from 2022 figures
Directional5The production of man-made fibers in Italy totaled 1.2 million tons in 2022
Single source6Veneto region's textile sector produced €4.1 billion in 2022, specializing in technical textiles
Verified7Italy's wool fabric production stood at 62 million meters in 2022, maintaining its global leadership
Verified8The nonwovens segment in Italy produced 450,000 tons in 2021, with 15% growth projected for 2023
Verified9Tuscany's Prato district produced 80% of Europe's recycled yarn from textile waste in 2022, totaling 120,000 tons
Directional10Italian cotton yarn production reached 95,000 tons in 2022
Single source11In 2022, the embroidery and lace sector output was €850 million, with 12,500 companies involved
Verified12Piedmont region contributed €2.3 billion to textile production in 2021 via hosiery and underwear
Verified13Italy's technical textiles production value hit €7.5 billion in 2022, 26% of total sector
Verified14The sector produced 320 million linear meters of home textiles in 2022
Directional15Friuli Venezia Giulia's man-made fiber plants output 250,000 tons annually as of 2023
Single source16In 2021, Italy wove 180 million meters of silk fabrics
Verified17The denim production in Italy reached 25 million meters in 2022, led by Biella district
Verified18Carpet and rug manufacturing output was €1.2 billion in 2022
Verified19Emilia-Romagna produced €3.8 billion in knitted fabrics in 2022
Directional20Italy's felt and nonwoven production totaled 180,000 tons in 2022
Single source21The upholstery textiles segment generated €2.1 billion in 2022
Verified22In 2023 Q1, textile machinery orders for Italy rose 15% to €650 million
Verified23Biella's woolen mill production was 45 million meters in 2022
Verified24Italy produced 15 million square meters of protective textiles in 2022
Directional25The linen fabric output reached 12 million meters in 2022, from Campania region
Single source26Synthetic yarn production hit 450,000 tons in 2021
Verified27Italy's terry cloth production was 50 million kg in 2022
Verified28The sector's energy consumption for production was 12 TWh in 2022
Verified29Printed fabric production totaled 250 million meters in 2022
Directional30Italy's textile waste recycling for production reached 200,000 tons in 2022
Single sourceProduction and Manufacturing Interpretation
Italy's textile industry is not just sewing up profits but stitching together a remarkably resilient and diversified economic fabric, with everything from Lombardy's luxury looms to Prato's recycled yarn proving that when it comes to making material, Italy is, quite literally, in the driver's seat.
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