International buyers and retailers expect their suppliers to take on more responsibilities and provide services beyond simple manufacturing and production. We assist enterprises and associations to develop exactly these skills, thus enabling them to sustain their competitiveness in a constantly changing and challenging environment. This includes support in material sourcing, supply chain management, product development and design, export marketing and the use of electronic applications along the textiles and clothing value chain. The Cotton, Textiles and Clothing team at ITC is a global technical assistance provider to developing countries’ small and medium enterprises, trade support institutions, sector specific associations and government agencies.
Information
Expand this section to find links to resources related to textiles and clothing which are freely available online. BOOKS
- Clothing demand from emerging markets: An opportunity for LDC suppliers, Sector Competitiveness Section, (2008).
- Cotton Exporter’s Guide, Coordinated by Matthias Knappe, Sector Competitiveness Section, (2007).
- Source-it: Global material sourcing for the clothing industry, Coordinated by Matthias Knappe, Sector Competitiveness Section, (2005).
- Get Connected: E-applications in the textile and clothing sector, Coordinated by Matthias Knappe, Sector Competitiveness Section, (2005).
- Silk Review 2001: A Survey of International Trends in Production and Trade - 6th Ed.
ARTICLES
- International Trade Forum Magazin -Textiles and Clothing articles
- Understanding Cotton Demand and Promoting Origin – The Example of African Cotton. Prepared for 30th International Cotton Conference Bremen, 24 – 27 March 2010
- Increasing Africa’s Role: Moving Beyond Production. Prepared for 2010 Cotton International Annual 2010: Charting Cotton’s New Course
- UNCTD XIII, World Investment Forum Session II: “Global Value Chains: Opportunities and Challenges for International and Domestic Firms”. The Textiles and Clothing Value Chain Write-ups by ITC panellists, Compiled and Edited by Matthias Knappe.
- Trade in Textiles and Clothing (T&C) and Dynamic Products, A special look at LDCs, February 2005, by Matthias Knappe.
- Textiles and Clothing Trade: What Perspectives for Africa, November 2004, by Matthias Knappe. [English] [Français]
- Textiles and Clothing: Uncertainties before and after the quota phase-out, Geneva 2004, by Matthias Knappe.
- Textiles and Clothing: What happens after 2005?, by Matthias Knappe.
- US Textiles Importers Eye 2005 Nervously, by Brenda A. Jacobs, Washington Trade Counsel to US Association of Importers of textiles and Apparel.
- Report on the Conference on the Future of textiles and Clothing after 2005, Brussels, 5-6 May 2003, by Matthias Knappe.
Papers on backward integration in the Textiles and Clothing Sector
- Inter-firm Strategic Alliances in textiles and Clothing Industry, e.g. from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, 2002, by Matthias Knappe.
- Backward Linkages in the textiles and Clothing Sector of Bangladesh, by Mr A.S.M. Quasem, Chairman, New Age, Bangladesh.
- Backward Linkages in the Textile and Clothing Sector of Pakistan, by Mr Wajid jawad, Chairman Associated Garment industry, and Mr Aziz Manon, Chairman, Kings Group.
- Backward Linkages in the Textile and Clothing Sector of Sri Lanka, by Mr Lyn Fernando, Chairman and Managing Director, Creations (Pvt.) Ltd., Sri Lanka.
Eco-labelling
The changing pattern of international trade in textiles and clothing
SUPPLY AND DEMAND SURVEYS
The following ITC surveys analyse the textiles and clothing industry in a number of African countries. They are structured into 2 parts: a first section examines supply-side constraints while a second one gives an overview of demand-side issues. The surveys then provide some recommendations as to how to address the bottlenecks. Annexes supply with statistics of major T&C products traded per country and a list of companies surveyed. [Note: all the reports are in French.]
- Bénin, 2003.
- Burkina Faso, 2003.
- Cameroun, 2003.
- Côte d’Ivoire, 2003.
- Gabon, 2003.
- Mali, 2003.
- Niger, 2003.
- République centrafricaine, 2003.
- Sénégal, 2003.
- Togo, 2003.
PRESENTATIONS
- T&C Trade and Dynamic Products: A specific Look at LDCs, Presentation by Matthias Knappe, at the UNCTAD Expert Group Meeting on Strengthening Participation of Developing Countries in Dynamic and New Sectors of World Trade, Geneva, 9 February 2005. (330 KB)
- Business for Development
- Trade in Textiles and Clothing: Challenges for Asia, Presentation by Mr. Matthias Knappe, Manila, the Philippines, 21 October 2004. (245 KB)
- Trade in Textiles and Clothing: Challenges for Latin America, Presentation by Mr. Matthias Knappe, International Trade Centre, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 9 June 2004. (332 KB)
- Trade in Textiles and Clothing: Challenges for Central & Eastern Europe, Baltic Sates and CIS, Presentation by Mr. Matthias Knappe, International Trade Centre, Sofia, Bulgaria, 18-19 May 2004. (209 KB)
- Trade in Textiles and Clothing: Challenges for Africa, Presentation by Mr. Matthias Knappe, International Trade Centre, Nairobi, Kenya, 31 March 2004. (309 KB)
- The Challenge of a Quota-free market
- The ATC Implementation So Far, Presentation by Mr. Matthias Knappe, International Trade Centre. (134 KB)
- Trade in T&C - The challenge of 2005, Presentation by Mr. Matthias Knappe, International Trade Centre. (158 KB)
- Understanding What Might Happen, Presentation by Mr. Matthias Knappe, International Trade Centre. (245 KB)
- How to Prepare? Presentation by Mr. Matthias Knappe, International Trade Centre. (157 KB)
- Preparing to Face Codes of Conduct, Presentation by Mr. Matthias Knappe, International Trade Centre. (120 KB)
Data and Research
Expand this section to see the top exporting and importing countries for garments. | Click on the thumbnail to the left to see top garment exporting countries displayed on a map. |
 | Click on the thumbnail to the left to see top garment importing countries displayed on a map. |
Advisory Services
ITC provides advisory services to Textile and Clothing associations and other multiplier organizations working in this area to increase the sector’s overall competitiveness. This comprehensive approach includes sector strategy development and implementation, export marketing (increasingly to emerging markets), market intelligence, product development and design, and material sourcing.
Training
ITC provides training in key areas identified as crucial for clothing SMEs in developing countries to increase their competitiveness. This includes material sourcing, supply chain management, product development and design, the use of e-commerce, and export marketing. Projects
During 2010, ITC have had three ongoing projects in the Textiles and Clothing sector. Projects in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the sector through a broad approach covering training and practical market-oriented activities on the subjects of
- export marketing in target markets
- product and design development
- and material sourcing
In Peru, ITC assists selected women entrepreneurs working in the alpaca sub-sector in developing modern collections and marketing these through various channels, including through participation in selected trade fairs.
ITC’s projects in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Peru will continue in 2011. Moreover, we are planning to develop a regional programme to improve competitiveness of the Textiles and Clothing sector in Eastern and Southern Africa, including fostering intra-regional trade development. This programme will be based on the regional cotton to clothing strategy, jointly developed with the COMESA Secretariat and the African Cotton Industries Federation (ACTIF).
For details about our past projects,
click here.