For more than three decades, the rules of global trade seemed steady enough. Italy—long a nation of skilled manufacturers and master merchants—thrived in that environment, riding the wave of international commerce that surged in the 1990s. But the tides are turning.

Today, the United States is increasingly unwilling to play the role of “buyer of last resort,” and new global competitors are stepping onto the stage. Against this backdrop, the new study Beyond the Garden: 25 Years of Italian Exports Outside Europe offers an in-depth look at how the geography and makeup of Italy’s exports have evolved since the turn of the millennium.