There is a new protocol for the protection of Made in Italy Even though the National Chamber for Italian Fashion had something to say about it

After a particularly difficult year for Made in Italy, plagued by controversies, company closures, and news reports concerning the state of the industry and the precarious or even illegal working conditions, yesterday Confindustria Moda signed in Milan the "Protocol for Combating Illegality in the Fashion Production Chain Contracts". With this signing, the federation declares its full willingness to collaborate with the prefecture, the court, the labor inspectorate, and other public institutions to protect workers in the textile sector. The Protocol represents an important step for Made in Italy, a push toward change that, however, still has a long way to go to definitively resolve the crisis situation facing the Italian industry, from cases of illegal contracts and workplace exploitation to the decimation of local artisans and production centers. As highlighted in a note shared by the National Chamber of Italian Fashion last night, after Confindustria's signing, «some essential points remain open». Camera Moda’s current main priority is the «protection of confidentiality, of brand and client know-how, as well as the dissemination of related information and data», states the association’s press release.

Although the Protocol represents a fundamental aid for the improvement of Made in Italy's conditions, and Camera Moda states it has joined the proposal and collaborated on defining the rules, it emphasizes that the country should «guarantee and support this industry and ensure it is protected from attacks and speculation». Another point raised by the association is that although the Protocol is essential, for now the rules apply only to the Lombardy region, not the whole of Italy – thus not affecting some of the regions with the highest concentration of textile production centers in the country, such as Tuscany and Emilia Romagna. It is difficult to make the supply chain entirely transparent, continues the note from Camera Moda, if the criteria certifying its legality have only territorial and partial value. «The very high quality of Italian products is guaranteed by a perfect and transparent balance between large companies (brands) and small businesses that together create a value chain which is the foundation of one of the country's major industries», reads the CNMI note. The association states that it «will continue to work diligently on improving the activities provided for by the protocol and, at the same time, to represent in all discussions with Institutions and industry associations the importance of relying on a law that defines a clear, orderly, specific, and easily applicable regulatory framework».