The first to define Prato as Manchester of Tuscany was Emanuele Repetti in the 19th century, in his Geographical Dictionary: the manufacturing emporium of Tuscany. “In fact, the industrial arts until the thirteenth century were favorably cultivated by the people of Prato, since it was found at that time that the consiglio de’ mercadanti, and the rectors of the arts of Prato were an essential part of that continuous magistrate.”

Prato has always intertwined its history with the world ofbusiness,industry andcraftsmanship, in a relationship that has profoundly marked its economic and social evolution. Since the Middle Ages, Prato has stood out for its textile production, a sector that has seen the emergence of a dense network of artisan workshops and small businesses specializing in wool processing.