End consumers in Italy and Spain appreciate style and design. Italians focus more on quality and brand image, and the Spanish focus more on modern, affordable and practical styles. Both countries prefer local brands. Italy and Spain are home to some of Europe’s largest fashion retailers. These retailers operate thousands of stores worldwide, meaning they have a major influence even outside of their local economies.
The Italian and Spanish apparel markets are struggling, but there’s still potential for small and medium-sized companies to succeed, particularly if they focus on quality, creativity, and niche markets. Italy is also an excellent gateway for exporting to the rest of Europe.
Martino Forcella, global apparel sourcing expert
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Italy and Spain are large and interesting apparel markets that require excellent knowledge of local business culture and consumer preferences. Both countries are located in southern Europe, are members of the European Union and have strong cultural ties. They also have similar climates, with warm, dry summers and mild winters. These conditions shape local fashion preferences for light, colourful clothing in summer and stylish but practical garments during the winter season.
The European outerwear market follows the overall apparel industry trends and developments around sustainability, circularity and corporate social responsibility. Policy initiatives under the EU Green Deal are the main drivers for these trends. For more information, see the CBI study on trends in the apparel market.
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Europe has a large outerwear market. It had a total import value of €20.4 billion and a 5-year average growth rate of 3.9% during the 2019–2024 period. The biggest markets are Germany, Italy, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Poland. Scandinavia is also an important regional market. Outerwear made from synthetic/man-made fibres dominates this subsegment (72.9% of the total). Outerwear makes up over 10% of all European apparel imports from developing countries.
Europe is a large and growing market for natural ingredients in women’s health products. It is a major importer of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), saps and extracts. But, the regulatory environment in Europe is becoming stricter, and market entry is only possible if you comply with all requirements for your target market and segment. Product competition comes from established species, synthetic alternatives, vitamins and minerals.
Are you looking for organic and sustainably produced moringa from West Africa? Visit BIOFACH, the world’s leading trade fair for organic food, on 10-13 February 2026, and meet Burkinabe companies to discover their moringa products in Profound’s Organic Africa Pavilion, Hall 1, Stand 1-271.