Textiles and accessories, the alliance under the Confindustria umbrella restarts

Two distinct realities working 'in parallel', but converging on certain strategic and decisive points for the future of the sector. And they do so under a single umbrella, that of Confindustria.

A year after the break-up of the Confindustria Moda born in 2018 under then-president Claudio Marenzi, the alliance between the leather supply chain (Assocalzaturifici, Assopellettieri, Unic and Aip) called Confindustria Moda Accessori and the textile-clothing sector, which will change its name from Sistema Moda Italia (Smi) to Confindustria Moda - Federazione Tessile Moda from 1January, is back on the field. "Last year we exercised our right of withdrawal: one step backwards taken and then three steps forwards. Today we are returning under a hat in which we all recognise ourselves and I believe that, having clarified a number of issues, the 'transmissions' will work even better from now on. We need to raise our voices on certain issues, to participate at the 'right' tables with a single voice and a true industrial policy, which, especially in this sector, has been lacking,' said Sergio Tamborini, who from 1 January will move from the position of president of Smi to that of president of Confindustria Moda.

The rediscovered synergy will also be functional in tackling the critical moment the sector is experiencing: Italian fashion, which employs around 600 thousand people and 60 thousand companies, has a turnover of around 100 billion euros and is the world's second largest exporter of textile products, generating a trade balance of over 26 billion euros in 2023. 2024 has been a complex year: 'We are about to close the third half of the year with negative numbers and we are expecting at least another one like this,' continues Tamborini. 'The crisis is structural: it is a time of transition dictated by changes in consumption, the impact of sustainability, and geopolitical uncertainties, and companies must be accompanied in a moment that for many will be one of restructuring.

More positive is Giovanna Ceolini, president of Confindustria Moda Accessori, who hopes for a recovery as early as next year, but does not hide the difficulties of the present: "The leather industry has 10,200 companies, 140.800 employees and 33 billion euros in revenues, but 2024 has been a nightmare year: in the first half of the year, it recorded a drop in production in volumes of 15.8% - with, this time in the nine months between January and September, -19.3% for leather goods and -18.6% for footwear - and a drop in turnover of 8.7% and exports of -8.2% (this percentage refers to the period between January and May). Our task is to defend the rights of our members, to network, to create attractive jobs for young people and to become more technological and green, issues that we touch with our hands every day. Being together means more value and more benefits, and although there are differences between us and textiles, the goals are the same'.

Among the issues that the two federations will have to tackle are the resolution of thedispute over the tax credit for research and development for the 2015-2019 period, which to date has not seen a resolution in line with the expectations of the companies that expected the reaffirmation of 'legal certainty'; the joint participation in the Lombardy Region's Table to fight against 'caporalato' (illegal labour), the training of young people and retraining of workers, which is fundamental for the development of specialised skills, indispensable in a constantly evolving market. Finally, the international promotion of Italian-made fashion. A dialogue to unify the labour contract is also possible.