About

About Municipality of Prato Prato is a vibrant city that combines a rich industrial heritage with innovative sustainability initiatives. Known for its textile and fashion industry, the city is embracing the future through circular economy practices and environmental responsibility, positioning itself as a global leader in both sectors. CITY PROFILE: PRATO - Population: 198,034 inhabitants - Area: 97.56 km² - Population density: 2,069 inhabitants/km2 - 2nd most populous city in Tuscany - 3rd largest city in Central Italy by population - 15th largest city in Italy by number of residents - Foreign residents: 44,507 - Nationalities represented: 125 - Leading province in Italy for the highest percentage of foreign residents - Chinese residents: 27,829 - 3rd largest Chinese community in Europe (after London and Paris) TEXTILE & FASHION INDUSTRY HUB Key Facts: - World's largest Textile & Fashion (T&M) district - 7,104 active companies in the sector - 2,548 textile companies - 4,571 clothing companies - 42,967 employees - €2.465 billion in exports - 3% of Europe’s textile production Prato is internationally renowned for its leadership in the textile and fashion industry, maintaining a robust and continually evolving production system. GREEN TRANSITION AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN PRATO Prato is leading in sustainability and circular economy initiatives: - 22,000 tons of textile waste recycled annually - 1st plant in Italy for the recovery of urban and industrial wastewater: GIDA (Water Treatment Plant Management), recovering 6 million cubic meters of water each year - Under construction: a textile waste recovery hub - Circular economy focus since 2020: Prato has become a "Circular City," involving local stakeholders in sustainability efforts Prato has also been selected by the European Commission as one of the 100 European cities to participate in the mission to achieve "100 smart cities with zero climate impact by 2030."