Filo opened with an increased level of visitors, continuing the healthy interest in European shows in the first part of 2023. Filo is now set in the Allianz MiCo Milan, gaining extra space as its popularity has grown. 91 companies from Europe, Turkey, and beyond participated.

Filo’s roots are in the famous Biella/Piemontese textiles area, but the exhibition has now become a multinational yarns and fibre event, showing some of the first collections for the new season Autumn/Winter 2024/2025. Its systematic commitment to sustainability is longstanding and still evolving, with Filo Flow a special area dedicated to ecologically sound practices and designs.

This 59th edition saw it further enhanced by a new link with C.L.A.S.S. the eco hub founded by Internationally recognised Italian Giusi Bettoni, with pioneering environmental initiatives to inform and guide sustainable businesses.

Not Just a pretty face?

Filo was described by Paolo Monfermoso, its General Manager, as ‘a working platform’. Dialoghi dei Confronti has been developed with Creative Director Gianni Bologna, as a series of live debating platforms for discussing initiatives involving today’s textile companies. One issue approached the challenges and opportunities for Italian spinners for attracting investment and sales to the thriving Iberian Peninsula, Spain and Portugal. 

Recently Filo has collaborated with ZDHC Supplier Platform which is concerned with helping companies to implement sustainable chemical management practices, and to aid informed decisions. Companies which have reached appropriate levels of these practices received awards as part of the Dialoghi di Confronto, talking about relevant developments in supply chains.

Fibres make news 

‘Green’ Entrepreneur Manlio Carta, CEO of Organic Cotton of Sicily, described reviving cultivation of the fibre in the island, a premium product common until 50 years ago. One of the welcome additions to the Textile Supply Chain Integrated Project promoted by Piedmont agencies and government.

New developments introduced by Carlo Covini, Business Development Manager of Lenzing AG and Enrica Arena CEO of Orange Fiber, introduced Tencel Luxe, continuous filament dedicated to the Silk and fancy yarns sector, and Tencel Limited Edition Orange Fiber, expressly aimed at high fashion production.

European Linen has been hailed as 2024’s most on-trend fibre on the horizon, blended and finished to show its versatility now renamed Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp. The European sector forms 80% of world production said Marie Demaegt, textile and sustainability Director, linking in its eco advantages. European Flax, and Masters of Linen are retained as certification of ecological impact.

Suedwolle yarns revealed developments in technical innovations, aiming to help selected natural raw materials last longer, quoting younger buyers who have sense of the environmental impact of textile waste and throwaway fashion. Karma Project works for regeneration of surplus yarn stocks and the use of recycled material including recycled wool.  A new luxury line uses the Recycled Mohair Standard. 

Trends - all in the imagination 

‘A stylistic continuum evolving over time.’  Creative Director Gianni Bologna organises his view on the new seasons long before exhibitions. He avoids the idea of separate trends as such. Imaginary Geographies, the title this year, includes Other lands, Other seas, Other skies. ‘With the reality of the Metaverse we still can talk about imagination, and the virtual reality of the web on the streets.’

Imaginative interpretations include classic underplayed simplicity in undyed hopsacks and twills, wool as a major player, fine gauge and also thicker, for chunkier knitwear.

Shine is a feature

Shimmering silks and coloured lace and trims, silky effects for menswear; natural wool with bright flashes, imaginatively coloured high-performance yarns for outdoors; Coat Yarns /tpu Evolution showed coated yarns solvent and water free, for zero waste.  Linsieme Filati’s new pure and blended cashmere yarn has many colours.

Lamé yarns by Filatura Marfil shimmer, Pozzi Electa juxtaposed natural and synthetic effects.  Lurex metallics move forward with BFlex stretchy yarn. Hong Kong’s upw_hk design presented luxury sustainable yarn in a very large range of funky coloured hanks and swatches. 

“With visitor numbers up and good feedback, all eyes are already set,” says Monfermoso, “on Filo’s celebratory 60th edition from 20-21 September 2023.”

www.filo.it