Filo was held in Italy, February 21 to 22. Filo specialises in high quality fancies and eco yarns, with a strong design content. It used to be known as the weaving yarn show but because buying patterns and lead times have altered so much over the years, there is at least as much interest in knitting yarns of all types.

There was an increase in exhibitors, all of them at the high middle to top end of the trade, dealing with top weavers, some who make fabrics and knitwear for couture and iconic brand names like Chanel. Spinners and knitters from Italy, France, Germany, Turkey, Switzerland, Greece, Portugal and Slovenia exhibited yarns and ideas for 2019-20 and visitors from various knitters and weavers came.

There were bright colors interspersed with the darker greys and blacks. Many of these were marled and flecked with a salt and pepper look. Colorful accents gave a new look to these dark tones in fabrics which were knitted up or woven into samples from the yarns on show. Most designs were intended for menswear and women’s wear; colorings and palettes are no longer gender specific, at least this year, and are converging.

Fancy looks led the field, with some yarns with a wool core and nylon lurex and metallic wraparounds.