The fashion valley of Emilia-Romagna does not lose sight of the objective of product quality and production processes with a strong focus on environmental sustainability. This is also thanks to the support of Emilia Romagna region with measures, which from 2021 to today, have 140 interventions were financed with over 7.2 million.
Regional measures, with European funds Fesr, FSE Plus e Pnrrto support investments in innovation, research, internationalization and trainingdedicated to companies and employees in the Emilia-Romagna fashion sector.
In Emilia-Romagna 15 thousand companies
It is the painting presented in Bologna at permanent table of the fashion sector of the Region, chaired by the regional councilor for economic development and work, Vincenzo Colla. The table, which involves institutions, companies from textiles to footwear, commerce, universities, Unioncamere and the training and research system, has not hidden the ongoing slowdown phase, which affects the entire sector in Italy and abroad. But it looks ahead, aiming to relaunch the sector, which today almost counts 15 thousand companies and 64 thousand employeesand future prospects.
New tenders
In addition to evaluating the impact of resources and tenders to support investments in the fashion sector in Emilia-Romagna, the meeting presented a detailed analysis of the morphology of companies. Various measures announced by the Region for 2024: the new ERDF tendersincluding one on supply chains, a specific tender on training for the professional skills required by the fashion sector, a tender for the support of neighborhood shops and a fashion challenges project on the Heroes platform Of Art-ER aimed at identifying the challenges for process and/or product innovation useful to the system, making fashion sector companies dialogue with the community of innovators.
Colla: “Technology and skills even in small businesses”
“We are in the midst of a redesign of the morphology of companies in the sector, which today is still too fragmented – commented the regional councilor for economic development, green economy, work and training, Vincenzo Colla-. We need to let t intechnology and skills even in small businesses, promoting supply chain alliances from production to sale, to maintain high product quality and promote traceability. This is why we confirm our support for investments in technology, sustainability, certification, research and worker training, all fundamental elements for growing the size and structure of companies and giving strength and prospects to the sector”.
Councilor Colla also announced that he will urge the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy to reconvene the national fashion tableone year after the last meeting, to take stock of the Pnrr’s resources, share good practices, coordinate interventions and ask for support for businesses and workers in the sector.
Fashion in Emilia-Romagna: a snapshot of the sector
They are in Emilia-Romagna 14,951 active companies (down by 697 units compared to 2021) in the fashion sector and 64,198 employed (-4041 compared to 2021). Furthermore, in three years, there has been a decrease in individual businesses (-15.3%) compared to an increase in partnerships (+6.8%) and joint-stock companies (+12.8%).
There are 6,266 companies that belong to the manufacturing sector (textile industries, manufacturing of clothing items, manufacturing of leather and similar items as well as jewellery, costume jewellery, goldsmithery and accessories) where two thirds of the employed are concentrated, with 34,736 units. On the other hand, 23,976 people are employed in the 6,653 companies in the area trade sector which includes the wholesale of textile, clothing and footwear products as well as the retail of clothing. The businesses of design there are 2,032 and they employ 5,486 people.
To these numbers must also be added the 3,296 activities (with 11,865 employed) of street retail trade of textile products, clothing and footwear: this sector reaches over 60% of foreign entrepreneurs, contrary to what happens in other sectors, in which the street vendors are over 70% Italian.
Activities financed over the three-year period
Through calls for tenders financed with European resources ERDF program 2021-2027the Region financed in detail 35 projects to increase digitalisation levels in companies with contributions of 2.5 million euros; 42 for participation in trade fair events abroad in 2022 and 2023, for almost 730 thousand euros; 10 projects by internationalization for SMEs for 470 thousand euros; 4 projects by energy efficiency (contribution of 265 thousand euros), 19 projects a women’s businesses (495 thousand euros); productive investments for 458 thousand euros; collaborative research for over 600 thousand euros; strategic industrial research for 1 million euros; support for startups for 34 thousand euros; and contributions to cultural and creative businesses for almost 1.2 million euros.