Textile & clothing industry logs double digit growth rates

At a time when the textile and garment industry from many countries across the globe are gasping for breath and struggling to maintain targeted growth rates, the textile and garment industry of Spain is on a path of rapid growth and that too in double digits. Exports from the sector have grown by a phenomenal 16.1 percent in the first half of 2008 compared to the same period in 2007. Exports touched US $ 5.967 billion till June 2008 in contrast to $5.138 billion in the corresponding period of 2007. The production of textiles and clothing in Spain had gone down by 2.3 and 3.0 percent respectively in 2007, but has managed to reverse the trend in the current year. Production of the industry went up from $8.332 billion in the first six months of 2007 to $9.310 billion in the same period of 2008 showing a positive growth of 11.7 percent. Imports also took the course taken by exports increasing by 17.4 percent to reach $10.090 billion. The figures corresponding to the same period in 2007 were $8.596 billion. The only negative factor in an otherwise blooming sector was the fall in employment levels within the sector. Compared to 200,600 people employed in the period Jan-June 2007, the numbers fell to 183,100 in the same period of 2008 to record a negative growth of 8.7 percent.

Technical textiles contributes significantly to total output

The technical textiles industry across the globe is making rapid strides. In many industrial countries value added technical textiles account for more than 40% of total manufacturing activity. Spain is one of the countries which would prefer not to be left behind. As of 2007, Spain had 270 companies involved in technical textiles production, out of which 64 units were dedicated exclusively to the manufacturing of the same. The numbers of employees connected with the sector were around 9,200. The companies were able to generate a combined turnover of Euro 2,900 million in 2007 to garner a estimated share of 24 percent from among all textile related manufacturing activities in Spain. The technical textiles sector is involved in most of the branches related to the sector like Agrotech, Buildtech, Geotech, Indutech etc. Share of Agrotech (Agriculture) among the activities related to the T.T industry was 8.52 percent, Buildtech (Building & Construction) 24.97 percent, Geotech (Engineering) 5.87 percent, Medtech (Medical & Hygiene) 12.02 percent, Indutech (Industrial Applications) 6.16 percent and Autotech (Automobile) 13.88 percent. Packtech (Packaging), Protech (Protective clothing) and Sporttech (Sports application) made up for the rest of the share with contributions of 10.09, 13.49 and 9.68 percent respectively. There are around 9 centres of higher learning involved in providing knowledge and education and an equivalent number of associations and clubs connected to promoting the sector. The country also has had the privilege of hosting two conferences related to the sector in Barcelona.

Haiti:

Apparel industry tied up in knots

The apparel sector is important to Haitis economy. It is a small but resilient industry. The industry maintains manufacturing ties with the Dominican Republic and relies on the United States as a key export market for apparel. Haiti offers competitive wages and an ample labor pool. Haiti's product quality, productivity, and pricing are considered to be generally similar to apparel produced in the rest of the region, but its products tend to be more standardized and lower-priced. Established since several decades, Haitis apparel industry has experienced cycles of growth and contraction. The industry consisted of more than 100 firms and over 100,000 employees in the late 1980s. A U.N. trade embargo mandated in 1994 led to a downturn in Haitian apparel production. After the trade embargo was lifted in October 1994, Haiti's apparel sector rebounded. The subsequent abolition of quotas allowed lower cost suppliers such as China, India, and other Asian countries to boost their exports of clothing to the United States, thereby increasing competition for Haiti and other suppliers in the CBERA and CAFTA-DR region.