After the premier gatherings in Paris and New York, the world of footwear components shifts focus to Milan, where autumn-winter 2023-2024 innovations take the stage. The Lineapelle Milan fair, paired with Simac-Tanning Tech, gathers a broad spectrum of companies, including thirty-nine firms from the Alicante region, ready to showcase alongside machinery producers and leather goods specialists. The event runs at Fiera Milano-Rho from September 20 to 22, with the first day sharing spotlight with Micam-Mipel, the major footwear and leather goods fair.
Lineapelle and Simac-Tanning Tech have become two of the most influential platforms in the global market for machinery, components, leather, and accessories used in shoes and leather products. The Lineapelle fair unfolds across six pavilions: tanning exhibitors are located in halls 11, 13, and 15; accessory and component exhibitors in halls 22 and 24; and fabric and synthetic exhibitors in hall 9. A 15 percent rise in participants signals confidence despite ongoing economic uncertainties noted in earlier industry reports.
The Spanish delegation at Lineapelle is organized by the Spanish Association of Shoe and Leather Goods Components and Machinery Companies, known as AEC. The association coordinates participation from roughly fifty national firms and manages a network of more than 1,900 related entities under the Shoe Components umbrella, with substantial exhibition space reserved for this Italian showcase. This collaboration is part of AEC’s Sector Plan, conducted in partnership with ICEX.
Among the exhibitors, seventeen firms originate from Elche, with additional representation from Crevillente, Petrer, Elda, Barcelona, Arnedo, Alicante, Onil, Villena, Aspe, Almansa, Yecla, and Zaragoza, illustrating a broad Spanish footprint within the fair landscape.
Fair data show more than 1,100 exhibitors from thirty-eight countries, with Italy leading participation at 63 percent, followed by Spain at 7 percent, Turkey at 6 percent, and Germany and Portugal at 3 percent each. In terms of sector distribution, 51 percent are tanning companies, 32 percent are accessories and components specialists, 12 percent are fabric and synthetic suppliers, while the remaining share consists of service providers and trade press.
Attendees arrive with measured optimism while staying mindful of geopolitical and economic headwinds. Factors such as the situation in Ukraine, rising raw material costs, energy pressures, and inflation across borders shape expectations. The Milan event offers a critical opportunity to physically display autumn-winter 2023-2024 collections and engage directly with international visitors. Face-to-face meetings with global clients help expand client portfolios and exchange insights about trends, supply chains, and market needs. The fair also serves as a live testing ground for assessing market reception and guiding more precise decisions about product lines and strategic directions for the season.
Following this event, participation continues with Futurmoda, scheduled for October 5 and 6 at the Institución Ferial Alicantina.