PRESS RELEASE
The Opening Ceremony of the 65th Filo edition, entitled ‘The Thread of the Supply Chain: synergies and added value to compete in the global market’, was held this morning at Fiera Milano Rho – Hall 5.
Paolo Monfermoso, Head of Filo, opened the ceremony by emphasising the high quality of the companies participating in the exhibition. Among the innovations of the 65th Filo edition, the most meaningful one is the synergy with Lineapelle. ‘The synergy with Lineapelle is an example of consolidation of the supply chain: it allows us to offer national and international buyers a more complete view of what textile industry has to offer,’ said Monfermoso. Fulvia Bacchi, CEO of Lineapelle, echoed his sentiments, stating: ‘At a time of great economic and logistical difficulties, and when it is said that trade fairs must reinvent themselves, Lineapelle and Filo have chosen to work together to enhance the commitment of their respective exhibitors to innovation, creativity and sustainability. It is a common path that will be surely successful for the market.’
Then Paolo Barberis Canonico, President of Unione Industriale Biellese, took the floor saying: “Today’s ceremony, entitled ‘The thread of the supply chain: synergies and added value to compete in the global market’, highlights the importance of cooperating throughout the production chain to strengthen our international competitiveness. Biella is unique in Europe: here, the textile supply chain is still intact, which is an extraordinary but also fragile asset. Its limited size affects its ability to develop strategies and make investments. We must therefore encourage models of aggregation that combine the vision of large companies with the distinctive skills of smaller businesses. This is the only way to preserve and strengthen a supply chain that represents a competitive asset for the whole region and for our textile industry.’
Matteo Masini, Head of Ufficio Beni di Consumo at ITA Trade Agency, highlighted the Agency’s support for the internationalisation of Italian companies and its long-standing collaboration with Filo: ‘Today, internationalisation also means knowing how diversifying the offer to meet the needs of those markets that are not only geographically far from ours. ITA’s work throughout the year involves lengthy preparation to increase and strengthen the knowledge of these markets to optimise results during the trade fair. The Agency will strengthen this work and commitment in the second half of this year and in 2027 too thanks to an increase in available resources.’

In his video message of greeting, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, stressed how ‘Filo is now an essential opportunity for fostering encounter among operators. Our yarns are a source of pride for the country, as the thread that combines art and manufacturing. Today, the challenge for Made in Italy textile industry is circularity, the ability to match product quality with material sustainability. The Italian government supports Italian companies and supply chains in the transition to a more sustainable production, with nine flagship projects, also thanks to the funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The hope is that Filo65 will give rise to ideas and synergies to increase the excellence of the Italian textile supply chain.’
Elena Chiorino, Vice-President of the Piedmont Region, also attended Filo with a video message: ‘Filo has an important meaning for the Piedmont Region and the whole textile supply chain,’ she said. ‘High-quality yarn, with a focus on sustainability, is indeed the basis of the entire Made in Italy textile and clothing industry. Buyers from all over the world will be attending Filo65, proving that global markets are paying close attention to our manufacturing.’
The second part of Filo65 Opening Ceremony was dedicated to a round table discussion moderated by Laura Ricardi, Head of Unione Industriale Biellese press office. In her introduction, Ricardi started with figures, ‘since they help to paint a picture of reality,’ she said. According to a recent Sace survey, the indirect impact of textile supply chain is estimated at 38 billion and the direct one at 9 billion. In other words, the strength of this industry lies not only in direct production, but also in its ability to generate value throughout the chain: from raw materials to processing, distribution, services and end market. The overall contribution is thus close to 3.9% of Italian GDP.’
The first speaker at the round table was Rossano Bisio, Fabric Designer for Filo. He focused on the value of the supply chain in the creative process: ‘Having a broad view of the supply chain means stopping thinking about individual components and starting to design the yarn already thinking about the finished garment. Our Made in Filo 65 fabric collection is the synthesis of this approach: a journey where the trend forecaster’s analysis does not remain theory but is transformed into tangible material through a process of synthesis and dissemination that spans the whole production chain.’ He then delved into the concept of Nexus – expressed in Filo65 product development proposals – and the synergy among various industrial districts.

Marco Bortolini, Vice President of Unione Industriale Biellese for Industrial Supply Chain Development, explained the value of supply chain from a manufacturing perspective: ‘Generally speaking, Italian business, and our textile supply chain in particular, is made up mostly of small and micro-sized companies. Each company is highly specialised and contributes in a unique way to creating value along the whole pipeline. This is the strength of our business model, which focuses on flexibility, providing rapid, highly customised solutions. However, this is also our weakness, given the size limitations of smaller, and therefore more fragile, companies, which need support both within the supply chain itself and through measures that have a real impact. We need a strong textile supply chain that is healthy, diverse and young to best address the challenges affecting this industry.

According to Dario Casalini, Founder of Slow Fiber, ‘Italian textile supply chain is complete, and when it is also good, healthy, clean, fair and sustainable, it becomes a model of values that does not generate negative environmental or social externalities or inequalities (profit for the few and exploitation of the many), but widespread and inclusive well-being for future generations in the territories where it is rooted.’
To tackle international markets, even a cohesive and innovative supply chain still needs the support of the country’s system.
Vera Veri, Director of Investimenti Partecipativi Simest, explained Simest’s work alongside companies: ‘The competitiveness of Italian textile industry is based on the strength of supply chains, production quality and the ability to innovate in a sustainable way. Today more than ever, collaboration, digitalisation and the enhancement of skills are decisive levers for reinforcing the positioning of Made in Italy. Simest supports companies throughout the internationalisation process with tailor-made financial instruments and a long-term approach, increasingly geared towards supporting the entire supply chain. Through dedicated measures, the involvement of leading companies and a constantly strengthening network of foreign offices, we support companies in the main strategic markets, from the United States to emerging economies. Our goal is to encourage structured paths of international growth, fostering the competitiveness of this industry and contributing to the spread of Made in Italy value worldwide.’

The 65th Filo edition is taking place on the 11th and 12th of February 2026 at Fiera Milano Rho, Hall 5.

Biella, 11 febbraio 2026

Ufficio stampa e comunicazione
EA Team Elena Aravecchia
Via Muratori, 55 – 20135 Milano
Telefono 339 64 73 377 – 368 30 87 865

Download file