Collection: Italian camo

Buy Italian Camouflage and Surplus Uniforms

Italy has one of the most visually distinctive camouflage histories in Europe, with a wide range of patterns used by the military over the past century. From early experiments to mission-specific designs and modern digital variants, Italian camo has gone through several interesting phases.

M1929 Telo Mimetico for Sale

In the early 20th century, Italy was one of the first countries to experiment with printed camouflage. The most famous early example is the M1929 “telo mimetico” pattern, introduced in 1929 for use on shelter halves (telo tenda). It featured irregular blotches in green, brown, and sand on a tan base. While originally intended as camouflage for tents, it was later adapted for smocks, jump uniforms, and field gear—especially during World War II by units like the Folgore Division and Italian paratroopers. The M1929 is considered one of the oldest continuously issued camouflage patterns in the world and remains a favorite among collectors due to its unique look and historical significance.

In the post-war years, Italian forces used a range of variations based on the original mimetico. These continued into the Cold War period, with some modifications in color and cut depending on the branch and unit. The basic layout stayed similar—blotchy shapes on earthy backgrounds—and was used well into the 1980s and early '90s. Around the same time, the San Marco Battalion was issued a distinct three-color version of the pattern, featuring a strong grey element. This variant retained the general mimetico layout but had a noticeably different tone, likely adjusted for coastal or urban use.

Buy COMSUBIN or San Marco Camouflage

A different and very unique pattern was also developed for COMSUBIN, Italy’s elite naval special forces. This camouflage had multiple variations and was worn by special units during missions abroad, including in Somalia and Afghanistan. While the design changed slightly over the years, it kept a recognizable look tied to the unit. A desert version of this pattern was also made, but only in very small numbers—it’s almost impossible to find today. Luckily, we have a few original COMSUBIN items in stock in this rare pattern, available in limited sizes and in very good condition.

1991 Italian Desert Uniform

Another well known uniform was developed in 1991, a special three-color camouflage uniform was created for Italian forces taking part in operations in Somalia and other arid regions. The pattern used broad shapes in tan, brown, and olive green, offering effective concealment in dry, open terrain. It was primarily issued to select units on overseas missions and was never widely adopted within the regular army.

Classic Vegetato Camouflage

Currently, the Italian Army uses the Vegetato camouflage pattern, officially known as Mimetico Vegetata, which was first introduced in 2004. It features four earthy tones: light khaki, olive green, reddish-brown, and dark brown, arranged in irregular shapes that give it a slightly flecktarn-like appearance. The pattern was designed specifically for Mediterranean woodland and hilly terrain and has proven effective in both domestic and international missions. Over the years, several variations of Vegetato have been developed for different environments and purposes:

Desert Vegetato: A lighter, three-color version made for arid regions. It uses sandy beige, tan, and chocolate brown tones and was widely used by Italian troops during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. This version is less common today but still occasionally appears in use or surplus.

Naval and Special Unit Variants: There are also lesser-known versions adapted for Italian Navy special forces, using darker navy-blue and grey tones. Some of these patterns were never widely issued and remain rare. In addition, a few civilian or commercial adaptations, sometimes referred to as VegeCam, tweak the original color palette but keep the general Vegetato layout.

Rare and Collectible Italian Camo

While standard woodland Vegetato remains the most common and recognizable, some of its lesser-known variants show how the Italian military has adapted camouflage to different needs and environments. Some patterns, especially those used by naval or special forces units, are much harder to find. So far, I’ve mostly focused on tracking down the various patterns used during the 20th century, and those are the ones I’ll be offering for sale here. Hope you can find something cool for yourself!