Ahead of Milano Unica in July, Pitti holds Pitti Filati, the textile show that utilizes the Pitti Uomo setup (and follows the children’s wear show Pitti Bimbo)
While the fabric and yarn market is further downstream from the brands you read about here at Fabricateurialist, it is arguably more interesting because many of those brands we consume only get to choose from the products that are presented at shows like Milano Unica, Pitti Filati, and others. Bare with me through some numbers because they are a signal for shifting consumer and brand demand. Here is a quick market overview based on 2023 revenues. Marzotto Group, the parent company of 13 brands that has been around since 1826, held on to its leading position with a revenue growth of 7.6% yielding €398m. Carvico Group, a producer of technical fabrics, saw its revenues drop by 21.7% to €291m. Fulgar, a well-known producer of Nylon 6 and Lycra, that is doing its part in the sustainable/circular use of synthetic fibers with its Q-Cycle Fulgar product. The company saw its revenues drop by 24% down to €184m. This leads some analysts and me to speculate that we are post technical fabrics, that athleisure and functionality peaked in 2022 at the tail end of WFH and comfort dressing. Note that these are some of the largest players in the premium and luxury segment, and trends trickle down from there. This could also indicate that the pontification of media, clicktivists and thot leaders is now steering enough people away from synthetics in their clothing to cause a noticeable shift on the demand side.
While this is only data from one year and only reflects the supply side of one country, the revenue drops are too big not to be taken seriously.
Now, if you, like me, want to know what will be in season for Fall/Winter 2025/26, this is one of the first shows that presents the shades, patterns, and materials that will rule that season, and after all those numbers, let’s look at some colors and photos.
Cariaggi ©
The Chanel and Brunello Cucinelli minority co-owned yarn maker, 51% is still owned by the Cariaggi family, has two new products for brands for the Fall Winter 25/26. Cortina is a combed yarn comprised of 77% cashmere, 23% silk and sequins, as well as the Aspen, a combed yarn spun with 31% cashmere, 20% Alpaca and 49% silk.
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Todd & Duncan
Arguably the biggest spinner in the UK, supplying anyone from William Lockie to Gran Sasso. Unless you are buying British-made knitwear from Barrie or Johnston’s of Elgin, chances are pretty high that it has been woven with Todd & Duncan yarn.
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KYOTOTEX
Kyototex is one of those companies you will have never heard of, but if like that *sparkle*, its glitter yarns should be of interest to you. Its claim to fame is making the thinnest and softest glitter yarns in the world, which feature a high tensile strength and high fastness (resistance to color running and color bleeding) glitter yarns despite their thinness. On top of that, they do not contain any harmful substances - yay.
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Biagioli
The long-term yarn supplier to Zegna—yes, if you ever bought a Zegna cashmere sweater, it was made with yarns from Biagioli—is also in attendance. The company is now co-owned by Zegna and Prada and continues to focus on “noble” fibers like cashmere, vicuna (a reminder for the “LoRo PiAnA hAs A mOnOpOlY oN vIcUnA” crowd), camel, and yak.
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Inca Tops
The Peruvian firm offers the world alpaca, wool, and cotton yarns, as well as special blends that incorporate noble fibers. These yarns are designed for the industrial and hand-knitting markets. It is one of many companies that offers stock service through its ESSENTIALS collection. This means you can receive these yarns immediately as opposed to pre-ordering them at a trade show like Pitti Filati months ahead of your own production schedule.
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Donegal Yarns
These are the cards that feature every new color of a yarn range that buyers get to pick from for the next season. While the above is the most comprehensive collection from Donegal Yarns, they offer a wider variety of yarns, as you can see below
• Soft Donegal – Nm3.8/1 & Nm3.8/2 - 100% Pure Merino Wool
• Galánta = Nm 6/1 & Nm6/2 – 80% Merino / 10% Cashmere / 10% Silk
• Mohair Tweed – Nm 4/1 – 70% Merino Wool / 30% Mohair
• Kilcarra Tweed Nm1.6/1 – 100% Pure New Wool
• Irish Heather Nm4.5/1, Nm4.5/2, Nm4.5/3 - 60% Fine Irish Wool / 40% NZ Wool
• Galway Wool – Nm4/1 & Nm4/2 – 100% Irish Wool
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Z. Hinchliffe & Sons
A British spinner that supplies a range of yarns, mainly to the middle of the market. You will see their yarns used by brands like Paul James or several boutiques’ private labels, along with a few big-name brands like Prada or Gucci.
Filmar
Filmar is a mainstream supplier with a very broad range of products that include everything from Alpaca to synthetics (polyamide, lurex, acrylic), slub and tweed cottons, as well as Cupro, viscose, and silk.
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Zegna Baruffa
The company most famous for its CashWool® (used by Aurélien, among many other brands), a processed Merino wool that ought to be as soft as cashmere, provided a comprehensive media kit that illustrates how many different fabrics and yarns companies actually produce.
Visit their website - Follow on Instagram - Zegna Baruffa media kit
There are MANY more companies exhibiting at Pitti Filati, but these are some of the most well-regarded and biggest producers in attendance. If you want more coverage like this, do let me know. Otherwise, I will continue with the occasional drizzle of supplier-side content as is.