Tattoos and piercings: the number of businesses has more than doubled in 10 years

A market that has been growing in recent years in terms of numbers, and undergoing significant change from an artistic and creative perspective. Tattooing has long since ceased to be merely a niche practice; it is now a widespread social phenomenon which, in Italia alone, involves at least seven million people, according to the most reliable estimates – equivalent to around 12–13 per cent of the population – although some statistics suggest much higher percentages.

It is therefore no surprise that this business is also growing rapidly, as demonstrated by a study by Unioncamere-InfoCamere on tattooing and piercing services, which charts the sector’s development between June 2017 and June 2026: in less than ten years, the number of businesses in the sector has risen from 3,695 to 9,614, representing an increase of almost 6,000 businesses and growth of 160 per cent.

This growth is evident across all Italian regions, albeit to varying degrees. Lombardy ranks first in terms of the number of businesses, with 1,873, followed by Lazio (983), Veneto (909), Piedmont (856) and Tuscany (852). Sardinia, however, leads the way in terms of percentage growth over the period, with the number of businesses rising from 45 to 177 – an increase of 293 per cent. It is followed by Puglia (+245 per cent), Sicily (+243 per cent) and Campania (+223 per cent).

Rome is among the municipalities with the highest number of businesses (440 businesses, 264 more than in 2017), followed by Turin (296) and Milan (180). Overall, all ten cities in the ranking have seen an increase in the number of businesses compared with 2017.

But it is above all when looking at the rate of growth that significant differences between the cities become apparent. Bari recorded the highest increase in the Top 10, rising from 10 to 74 businesses (+640 per cent). It is followed by Brescia (+273.7 per cent), Genoa (+239.3 per cent) and Verona (+242.9 per cent).