APCOM

One craftsman out of ten in Milano comes from abroad: in the other provinces of the region and in the rest of Italy the percentage is lower, one out of twelve. The most industrious community in this field is the Chinese (28.3%). It is pointed out by a survey of Milano's Chamber of Commerce based on the register of companies' data, which were updated in May, concerning the artisan businesses of the traditional sectors.

The foreign businesses' owners of the Milanese area in the artisan field are 435. They manufacture tulle and laces (50% overall) and make to measure clothing (29.4%), they decorate glass items and deal with the design of textiles, shoes, clothes, jewellery, furniture and other articles both for people and for the house (20%). Foreign craftsmen are mainly focusing on tailor-made clothes (29%), on the making of suitcases, bags and leather saddles and straps (20.7%) and the repair of iron and copper items (11.5%).

Foreign craftsmen in Milano are above all men, even if the female presence reaches 39%. 40% is between 20 and 39 of age. The most resourceful community is the Chinese one (28.3%, over one out of four), then come Egyptians (7.6%), Romanians (7.4%), Peruvians ((6%), Ecuadorians (3.7%) and Argentines (2.8%). In particular, Chinese artisans focus on travel items and bags (68.3%), they deal with tailoring and make to measure clothes (24.4%) and run laundries (4.1%).