Milano Unica will be held in Italy, July 11 to 13, 2017. This is a textile trade show for the autumn/winter collections. It’s a benchmark event for Italian fabric manufacturers and it is meant to promote their expertise. This time the fair is being held two months before its traditional September session, much earlier in the season and well ahead of other textile shows.

The organisers chose to go for an earlier date to address the market’s new needs and respond to the constant change taking place in the fashion world though this put a good deal of pressure on textile manufacturers, who needed to have their new collections ready by July, and not September, as before.

The industry has responded favorably, though, judging by the number of exhibitors registered. Their total has in fact grown by 20 per cent with 77 new entries added, for a total of 459.

In addition to new exhibitors, there will also be five textile designers.

There has been a 29 per cent rise in exhibitors in the women’s wear sector and a 19 per cent rise in exhibitors for accessories.

As in previous editions, there will be some 60 Japanese and South Korean companies.