No Result
View All Result
Friday, August 1, 2025
23 °c
Tripoli
24 ° Sat
24 ° Sun
  • Advertising
  • Contact
LibyaHerald
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
LibyaHerald
No Result
View All Result
Home Business

Post the Corona crisis, Italy’s leather sector aims to drive exports and the economy back to the good old days

bySami Zaptia
March 16, 2022
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
Post the Corona crisis, Italy’s leather sector aims to drive exports and the economy back to the good old days

Organizers of the Italian leather products exhibition, MIPEL, were optimistic about the sector (Photo: Sami Zaptia).

At the 121st edition of MIPEL exhibition, described by organisers as the most important international event dedicated to leather goods and fashion accessories held at Italy’s Milano Fair from 13 to 15 March, organizers were optimistic about the sector helping drive the Italian economy back to levels of the pre-Corona years.

“A moment of true rebirth and restart of business affairs A great demonstration of confidence by the participating companies and a sign of a gradual rebirth. A strategic moment for the sector.’’, the organisers said.

At the event, talk was of sustainably sourced leather with value for money, long lasting, comfortable yet fashionable ‘‘Made in Italy’’ products leading the trends. The event was revealing the trends for the next season and photography of products were forbidden for fear of design copyright theft.

The new eco-conscience consumer and responsibility for the environment were buzzwords at the event. Yet it was acknowledged that the consumer was now looking for long-lasting products so reworked classic designs were expected to trend next season.

There was no escaping the mention of the post-pandemic and lockdown effect on the industry. One trade expert commented how post-lockdown, the consumer started to look down at their feet (shoes) again after working from home in any footwear. People are dressing up to go out and going to work again, was seen as the driver for the sector.

RELATED POSTS

Libyan entities discuss restarting local pharma production at Rabta factory with Italian company Pharmacom

LBC and Italian embassy discuss industrial zones, private sector initiatives, benefiting from Italian expertise and visas

 

The MIPEL leather exhibition at Milan Fair 13 to 15 March (Photo: Sami Zaptia).

 

The footwear industry
Globally, the Italian footwear industry reported a turnover of 12.7 billion euros in 2021, an 18.7 percent increase on 2020 – but still 11 percent lower than two years ago – Confindustria Moda reported2.

Italy’s top 5 partner countries are Switzerland, France, Germany, the United States and China. In the same period Libya bought from Italy only 2.6 million euros – down 8.5 percent compared to the same period of 20201. Italy’s trade exceeded euro 20.00 billion with an 18.22 percent increase in terms of bilateral trade with Libya, Trade Data Monitor figures reveal.

Confindustria figures also reveal that exports to North Africa in 2021 were euro 24.87 million representing 1,247 pairs of shoes. This is an 18.9 percent increase in value and an 18.1 percent increase in quantity between 2020 and 2021.

Confindustria reports that luxury brands are driving exports, but not everyone is seeing a recovery. Almost 2 out of 3 companies are still below pre-Covid levels. Higher raw materials and energy costs are getting in the way of growth. And if getting over the devastating Corona was not bad enough, there is now a major concern about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The acceleration of exports in the fourth quarter allowed the footwear industry to close 2021 with the same double-digit increases that had characterised the first half of the year. After the sector’s collapse in 2020, as a result of the lockdowns and restrictions over the two waves of the pandemic, there was a natural rebound effect in the second quarter 2021 followed by a less intense growth trend.

In the preliminary results from the Confindustria Moda Research Centre for Assocalzaturifici, all the main variables saw significant increases in value of between +15 and +20 percent. But the recovery is fragmented and often still not sufficiently fast, which means a significant share of companies have still not returned to 2019 revenue levels, before the pandemic began.

While large international luxury groups have picked up steam and are driving sales for the sector in foreign markets, many small and medium companies have not survived the shock of the crisis. So, an inconsistent situation is concealed by the undeniably overall positive figures for the year that has just ended: starting with the figures for exports which achieved, in value terms, the second highest result of all time (10.3 billion euro), including net of inflation.

The balance of trade surplus is up (+22% between January and November) and is expected to be just under 5.2 billion for the year as a whole.

The outbreak of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is not helping the sector. Italy exported footwear for a total combined value of approximately 317 million euro during 2021 to these two markets. The shortfall on pre-Covid levels (combined sales of 346.4 million euro in 2019) was gradually being eroded (after a combined increase of +9.3% on 2020).

 

(1)-The Italian Trade Agency (ITA/ICE) Tripoli Office

(2)-The Italian Footwear Industry 2021 Preliminary Results Sectoral note prepared by the Research Centre for Confindustria Moda for Micam.

Libya Herald was invited by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA/ICE) Tripoli Office to cover the MIPEL exhibition. We are thankful to them and the Italian embassy Tripoli for facilitating this visit.

Tags: corona virus coronavirus Covid 19curfew lockdownexportsITA Italian Trade Agency ICEItaly Italian

Related Posts

CBL receives results from meetings with international banks
Business

CBL introduces the state sector Instant Salary Payment System

August 1, 2025
Libya and Shell discuss several areas of cooperation
Business

Minister of Oil and Gas discusses with Japanese Ambassador strengthening cooperation and attracting Japanese companies to Libya’s energy sector

July 31, 2025
Workshop on ‘‘Challenges facing the packaging sector in Libya‎’’ – recommendations made
Business

”Transformation to Cleaner Production and Sustainable Development in the Industrial Sector” workshop to be held by NIPA

July 31, 2025
Libyan General Union of Chambers to lead delegation to Rome’s Arab Italian Trade Forum on 28 January 2025
Business

Libya’s Union of Chambers of Commerce participates in the South-South Dialogue held in Italy ‎

July 31, 2025
Sirte and BACB to improve cooperation
Business

Sirte Oil discusses with Schlumberger progress of several ongoing projects in the fields

July 31, 2025
Akakus Oil drills 15 wells since January – producing 25,000 bpd
Business

Akakus Oil’s drilling of new H-49 well in Sharara field completed with a production of 1,450 bpd

July 30, 2025
Next Post
Airports Authority installs new security equipment at Zuwara airport

Airports Authority installs new security equipment at Zuwara airport

Libya’s Alwafa tuna brand receives export accreditation

Libya’s Alwafa tuna brand receives export accreditation

ADVERTISEMENT

Top Stories

  • Tripoli Defence Minister Namroush takes steps to secure Tripoli after Bashagha alleged assassination attempt

    Tripoli Defence Ministry warns of unspecified precision air strikes against human smugglers and drug traffickers

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • NOC signs four memorandums of understanding with Algeria’s Sonatrach‎

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • North Africa Bitumen Company explains its choice of Misrata Free Zone as its Libya operations base

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Khoms port discusses development with Turkish company Orbitel

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Libyan entities discuss restarting local pharma production at Rabta factory with Italian company Pharmacom

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
ADVERTISEMENT
LibyaHerald

The Libya Herald first appeared on 17 February 2012 – the first anniversary of the Libyan Revolution. Since then, it has become a favourite go-to source on news about Libya, for many in Libya and around the world, regularly attracting millions of hits.

Recent News

Tripoli Health Ministry prohibits acceptance of gifts or donations without prior written permission as part of transparency drive

CBL introduces the state sector Instant Salary Payment System

Sitemap

  • Why subscribe?
  • Terms & Conditions
  • FAQs
  • Copyright & Intellectual Property Rights
  • Subscribe now

Newsletters

    Be the first to know latest important news & events directly to your inbox.

    Sending ...

    By signing up, I agree to our TOS and Privacy Policy.

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password? Sign Up

    Create New Account!

    Fill the forms below to register

    *By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
    All fields are required. Log In

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In
    No Result
    View All Result
    • Login
    • Sign Up
    • Libya
    • Business
    • Advertising
    • About us
    • BusinessEye Magazine
    • Letters
    • Features
    • Why subscribe?
    • FAQs
    • Contact

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.