Can Made in Italy withstand climate change?

Such extreme weather events have become part of the Italian news in recent years. According to the information of the nature protection service LegambienteIn 2023, Italy experienced 170 percent more floods and overflows compared to the previous year, record urban temperatures increased by 150 percent, landslides caused by heavy rain increased by 64 percent, sea storms increased by 44 percent and hail damage increased by 34.5 percent. In addition, there are wildfires and tornadoes. Few countries experience such a wide range of extreme weather events.

“The climate in Italy is as unique as the culture,” says Gregor Lekebusch, professor of meteorology and climatology at the University of Birmingham and co-chair of the Met Office Academic Partnership, a collaboration between UK universities and the weather agency. advanced weather and climate science. For fashion and textile companies, risks vary by region. Northern Italy is at greater risk of thunderstorms and hail, which are increasing in both frequency and intensity, he explains. Meanwhile, parts of northern and central Italy are more vulnerable to flooding, while the south is seeing an increase in so-called “medicans,” a form of hurricane or typhoon that forms over the warmer waters of the Mediterranean.

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The rules burden Made in Italy

If brands want to comply with EU import regulations, they need suppliers. But Italian suppliers say the push for change from the top is stalling progress and undermining confidence.

Local production is influenced not only by Italy’s climate. Climate change-related weather events in key supplier countries are affecting Made in Italy, complicating the supply of raw materials and raising prices at the same time.

There is no clear blueprint for how brands and suppliers should plan for and mitigate these climate shocks, which can span from raw material sourcing and fabric production to apparel production and consumer demand. The need for its development is becoming increasingly urgent.

High-quality fabrics are at risk

According to the data, from November 2023 to May 2024, Mongolia experienced the worst cold weather in the last 50 years. UNICEF. Continuous blizzards and severe cold threatened the lives of Mongolia’s nomadic herders, and livestock losses exceeded seven million. As a result, cashmere harvesting has been either delayed or severely curtailed, and raw cashmere prices in the region have increased by 11 to 18 percent, according to Sustainable Fiber Alliance.

On the other side of the world, in Italy, the Piacenza Group (the company behind cashmere maker Piacenza 1733) is feeling the pressure. Owner Ettore Piacenza says cashmere production is down 10 percent this year. It’s not just cashmere either. Piacenza adds that wool production in Australia has been affected by the drought, and alpaca production in Peru has declined. “Not necessarily because of climate change, but because of changing customs, because of which fewer people want to live at an altitude of 4,000 meters in the Andes, and new generations are moving to big cities,” he says.