Ready on the floor
Stock that already exists, picked on a call or in the showroom and sent as soon as you have paid.
Sourcing serviceFor UK boutiques and independent shops
Italian clothing wholesale for the UK, bought at the source
A good share of the Italian ladieswear sold by UK wholesalers is made in the Prato district. Buy it there yourself, on a live video call or on a day in the showrooms, and receive it on one invoice and in one delivery.
- Italy is one hour ahead of you
- Direct flights from London
- Every warehouse on one invoice
- Customs cleared by the courier
Why UK buyers come to Prato
The same rails, one step removed
Buy Italian ladieswear from a UK stockist and you choose from a range someone else has already narrowed down, at a price that already carries their margin. Often the boutique in the next town is buying from the same rail.
Going to Prato yourself used to mean flights, a hotel, someone to translate and a separate payment to every warehouse, followed by customs forms on the way back. We take care of everything after the choosing.
- A range already picked over by a middleman
- Their margin added to every piece
- The same styles in shops close to yours
- Customs paperwork since Brexit
You choose straight from the warehouse rails, and we deal with what comes after.
At the source
The whole range, before it reaches the UK
Pronto moda warehouses in Prato put out new styles every week and sell them in small runs. On a session you see what is hanging there that day, including co-ords, occasionwear and knitwear that may never appear in a UK wholesaler’s catalogue.
The warehouses we take you to are picked from your brief: who shops with you, the prices they pay, the sizes that sell through. Every piece is checked for fabric and fit before it goes into the box.
- New styles on the rails every week
- Small runs, often a handful of pieces a style
- Italian sizing checked against UK sizes
- Composition and care labels already sewn in
Ladieswear from Prato
From co-ords to winter coats
Most of what we buy for UK shops is ladieswear made in Italy. Summer is linen, cotton and viscose. From August the rails fill with wool coats, knitwear and tailoring, while occasionwear carries on all year round.
Ladieswear
- Co-ords Matching sets in linen, jersey and fine knit
- Occasionwear Dresses for weddings, race days and evenings out
- Coats Wool and wool-blend coats cut for a British winter
- Knitwear Cashmere blends, merino and chunky knits
- Tailoring Blazers, trousers and two-piece suits
- Silk Blouses and slip dresses in silk and silk blends
- Linen Shirts, trousers and dresses for the warmer months
- Accessories Bags, scarves and belts to round off a rail
How you can buy
Custom collection
Existing styles adjusted to your brief, in the colours or fabrics you need, through our private label team.
Private label
Private label
Your own designs under your own label, made in Italy. After sampling, a run starts at 100 pieces a style, with €3,000 as the smallest order.
Private labelMenswear and childrenswear are available too, in smaller ranges.
Buying from the UK
One hour behind, two hours away
From your shop
Live Buying Session
Sessions can run from 8am to 8pm UK time, depending on the showrooms, so you can buy before you open or after you close.
- No minimum spend per session
- 10% commission, €250 minimum per session
In Prato
In-Person Sourcing Day
Fly from London to Florence, Pisa or Bologna and we take it from there, driving you from showroom to showroom. Prato is about 20 minutes from Florence airport.
- €250 per working day in Prato, on top of the 10% commission
- Book ten days or more in advance
Importing after Brexit
What happens at UK customs
Since Brexit, goods from Italy go through UK customs. On a DAP shipment the courier clears them for you and bills you for the import charges before delivery.
Clearance by the courier
The export invoice and documents are done by us in Italy. UPS, DHL or FedEx then lodge the UK import declaration and collect any duty and VAT.
Import VAT at 20%
VAT is charged on the goods, the shipping and any duty. A VAT-registered business can usually reclaim it, or account for it on the VAT return through postponed VAT accounting.
A trade agreement on duty
The EU and the UK have a trade agreement. Garments that meet its requirements can qualify for a reduced duty when they enter the UK.
Labels already in place
Composition and care labels are already sewn into the garments. If you want your shop’s name on a neck label or swing tag, we can add it in Prato. Labels and packaging.
Checked on
Shipping to the UK
From Prato to your stockroom
The highlighted points are UK cities we have already delivered to; the others show where the rest of this year’s orders went. Your parcel leaves Prato with UPS, DHL or FedEx once the shipping cost is settled.
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Canada
- Australia
- Kuwait
- Barbados
- Denmark
- Italy
- Bahamas
- Czechia
- Mexico
- Israel
- Aruba, Netherlands
- Saudi Arabia
- Curacao
- Argentina
- Réunion
- Netherlands
- Romania
- Puerto Rico
- Brazil
- Switzerland
- United Arab Emirates
- Japan
Shipping is priced per order after packing, on the actual boxes and weight.
UK questions
What UK buyers ask us first
It depends on the garment. The EU-UK trade agreement allows a reduced duty on goods that meet its requirements, while other pieces pay the standard UK tariff. The courier works out the charge at import and bills you before delivery.
Import VAT is 20%, worked out on the goods, the shipping and any duty. If you are VAT-registered you can normally reclaim it, or use postponed VAT accounting so you do not pay it upfront. Your accountant can tell you which suits you better.
You pay the warehouse price plus our 10% commission, rather than a price that already includes a stockist's margin. Add shipping and import charges and compare the landed cost per piece. We go through the numbers with you at the interview.
Warehouses have their own minimums, typically €300 to €500 and between 2 and 12 pieces a style. Our commission has a €250 minimum per session, so a first order usually brings together a few warehouses.
Not one for one. An Italian 40 is usually a UK 8, and the fit changes from maker to maker. Ask on the session and we measure the pieces for you. Read our size guide.
Yes, with an early flight and a late one back. A second day gives you time for more showrooms without rushing. We plan the route and drive you between suppliers.
Everything is invoiced in euros. Pay by bank transfer, Wise, PayPal or card, and your bank converts from sterling at the day's rate. You settle the balance no later than 5 calendar days after we send the pro forma; cards add a 2.5% to 4.5% surcharge.
Start here
Your first Prato order, delivered to the UK
Book a short interview and tell us about your shop. If Prato suits what you sell, we plan the first session around your customers.
Further reading
Guides for UK buyers
Sourcing Strategy Italian Sizes, International Customers: Reading Size Runs and Fits Before You Order
30 July 2026
Sourcing Strategy Winter Dresses and Occasionwear: Sourcing the Holiday Season From Italy
15 September 2026
