
City of Prato (Lead Partner)
The city of Prato has been famous since the Middle Ages for the manufacture of textiles, particularly woolen cloth, although it was only with the advent of industrialization in the mid-19th century that the area developed a real and proper industrial production system.
Market and consumption changes throughout history have forced the city to change tactics and to downsize. As a result many local companies are now searching for new development prospects.
Nonetheless, with almost 7,200 companies employing over 35,000 workers in the production of over 70,000 new items and approximately 350 million metres of fabric for clothing, furnishings and technical uses, Prato is currently one of the most important textile manufacturing areas in Europe.