Can Italy become a big silk producer again?

Over the past few decades, the silk supply chain in Italy has faced significant difficulties, mainly due to increasing international competition, particularly from China, and the advent of synthetic fibers. However, a series of public and private initiatives are working to revive one of the country's most prestigious traditions. As reported by the Financial Times, as early as 1871, just ten years after the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy, the government created the first Experimental Sericulture Station in Padua, now part of Crea, a research body of the Ministry of Agriculture. The northern Italian tradition of silk production, after all, is something deeply embedded in our national cultural heritage but has been forgotten—those who survived high school readings of Manzoni’s I Promessi Sposi will recall that Renzo Tramaglino’s occupation was precisely silk production. By the mid-20th century, however, the sector was already in crisis, but things are changing. In 2024, the Italian textile industry recorded a value of 1.1 billion euros in high-end fabric production, yet 95% of the yarn used comes from China, whose silk production is declining due to rising costs: over the past ten years, the price per kilo of silk has doubled, reaching 80 euros—far more than the 2 euros for cotton and between 7 and 15 euros for wool. This is why Confindustria Moda has developed a plan to revive the Italian silk supply chain. Italy, as we will see, is already a leader in silk processing and spinning but only in terms of its refinement: to truly bring back the silk industry to Italy, it is necessary to restart production with silkworm farming. In the past, both in the South and the North, the sector was widespread, and today Italy possesses all the necessary know-how. Only the right investments are needed.

The idea is to rebuild a production chain that starts with mulberry trees and extends to cocoon management. This plan involves a series of investments and innovations, but public support is necessary for companies, especially medium-sized ones, like those in the Como textile district. As highlighted by Confindustria Moda’s president, Sergio Tamborini, silk has a high added value and could represent a resource for struggling agricultural areas, such as those affected by Xylella in Puglia. The process is not simple: «We must start again with the trees, the mulberries, achieve an adequate leaf production to feed the silkworms, and manage the cocoons,» Tamborini told the Financial Times. «It is a complex production process, although now supported by mechanization, unlike in the past, which requires investments and long waiting times to become fully operational.» At the Crea in Padua, the only active sericulture station in Europe, training courses and research projects have already been launched, such as the Bachicoltura Setica network, which involves producers in Veneto, where a recent regional law has allocated funds for three years for farmers who want to start sericulture. As Tamborini explains, Crea is «the last active sericulture station in Europe, making us the keepers of all the silk know-how on the continent. But it is an advantage we are barely utilizing.» The European Aracne project, led by Crea, also aims to enhance the culture of silk through tourism, involving companies like D'Orica, which produces jewelry in Italian silk and gold, helping to revive an ancient tradition. However, without strong public support, achieving the desired results will be difficult. And here in Italy, in reality, there is already a "silk hub" that is both ancient and active—and could be much more so.

According to a Forbes article from last December, Como is still the beating heart of silk production in Italy and across Europe—a tradition dating back to the times of the Sforza and Visconti, who promoted mulberry cultivation and silkworm farming. Currently, Como accounts for 80% of European silk production, with total revenues of around 2.1 billion euros, 20% of which comes directly from silk. Como's companies employ about 14,000 people, and although the production of pure silk has almost disappeared, it remains a fundamental element for the textile district, which continues to be a benchmark for quality craftsmanship, particularly in fabric dyeing and printing. Despite the import of yarns from China, Como-based companies, such as those represented by the secretary of the textile supply chain group of Confindustria Como, Guido Tettamanti, have managed to maintain a prominent position in international markets, particularly in Italy and France, the two main reference markets for high fashion. In the Como district, companies like Cosetex, Saati, Mantero, and Ratti continue to invest in silk, striving to maintain their global leadership in quality. Cosetex, for example, has developed innovations like T.Silk, a 100% silk padding, while Saati, the district's giant, specializes in technical fabrics. Mantero, active in silk weaving since 1902, continues to weave, dye, and print high-quality fabrics, while Ratti, founded in 1945, is one of the leading brands in fabric production for clothing and home decor.

As early as 2023, the Italian government, as reported by the Crea website, launched the "Serinnovation" project to support the revival of sericulture in the country. According to reports at the time, the Italian silk sector experienced a post-lockdown boom in exports (+29.5% in the first half of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021), although large portions of fibers and fabrics were still imported. The main challenge for the revival remains the reintroduction of sericulture, a sector that has almost disappeared, now undergoing a renaissance through automation of harvesting and processing, with the goal of making the supply chain more competitive and sustainable. Moreover, byproducts of silk processing, such as silkworm pupae and mulberry pruning residues, are finding new applications in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic sectors. The future of silk in Italy, therefore, looks promising. If efforts in innovation and sustainability are accompanied by public and private support policies, Italian silk could not only be revived but also redefine its boundaries, integrating with new industrial sectors and meeting the needs of an increasingly quality-conscious, traceability-oriented, and sustainability-driven market. As emphasized by Luca De Carlo, president of the IX Permanent Commission of the Senate, during the "Serinnovation" conference in May 2023, the silk industry's revival project has great potential to contribute to the growth of Italy’s agricultural areas, creating new economic and social development opportunities, and also to revive a sector of Made in Italy that has been struggling in recent years.