



Fibres, textiles and clothing
The Fibres, Textiles and Clothing team at the International Trade Centre (ITC) encourages small businesses to grow through sustainable practices. By providing training, coaching and research, ITC drives competitiveness while ensuring social and environmental responsibility.
We focus on clothing, a labour-intensive industry found in many developing countries. We support small businesses to move from simple cut-and-sew operations to complete package offerings, giving them a better foothold in the global apparel market.
In textile manufacturing, developed countries are typically the major producers and exporters, apart from larger Asian textile producing countries. Nevertheless, supply chain integration has become a very important competitiveness factor, and countries would need to develop additional textile operations to sell higher value–added products.
At the fibre stage, we focus on cotton and cashmere. Both often produced by small farmers, with little machinery, fertilizers or pesticides. Millions of rural families depend on cotton and cashmere, which are also major exports for their countries.
In leather, we support small businesses to tan hides and turn them into homewares or fashion. Creating new products expands their markets and their incomes.
As a UN agency, we offer a neutral environment where manufacturers and industry collaboratively address common challenges. We foster partnerships to collectively enhance efficiency, increase productivity, benefit from digitalization and create value.
New regulations in the European Union and other leading markets require manufacturers to increase resource efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimize waste. With our training and coaching, companies become greener and more digital.

In Africa, cotton provides income for millions, particularly in rural areas, and is an essential export. Because African farmers have such a low environmental impact, ITC leverages their techniques so that investing in African cotton means investing in sustainability.
African countries often export raw cotton. ITC works with local farmers and businesses to gin cotton to spin it into thread and weave it into fabrics. Those products fetch higher prices, bringing in more money to small businesses. We also work to transform cotton by-products, so that none of the plant gets wasted during production.
We work with ginner and farmer associations as well as regulators so they can better support cotton businesses, while sourcing equipment and supplies for farms. By encouraging cooperation among developing countries, cotton producers can sell to other textile and clothing producing countries. That also attracts new investments.

Zambia and Tanzania cotton development
In Zambia and Tanzania, we are working to increase cotton productivity and yields. We work with farmers and ginners so they can add value to their products through hand-spinning and weaving. By creating new artisanal products, they earn regular year-round income, protecting them from price and weather shocks. We also help them take advantage of the full cotton plant by developing cotton by-products from seeds to oil, cakes and meals, and biomass from cotton stalks.
Our work is part of the EU-financed African, Caribbean and Pacific States Business-Friendly programme, where we support value chains by promoting inclusive policies, investment promotion and businesses alliances. In Zambia and Tanzania, we coordinate with the cotton board, the farmer and ginners associations, research centres as well as the International Cotton Advisory Committee, among others.
World Cotton Day
The United Nations General Assembly recognizes 7 October as World Cotton Day. This acknowledges cotton's vital role in providing livelihoods for millions of people and its broader economic and social impact around the world. World Cotton Day raises awareness about the valuable contribution of sustainable cotton in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. ITC is one of the founding agencies of World Cotton Day and celebrates with events every year.
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Cashmere is a famously soft and warm wool which comes from four related breeds of goats in the Himalayas. Nepal is renowned in the luxury market for its high-quality pashmina wool. The fine fibres that come from its Chyangra mountain goats are particularly well regarded.
So that Nepal can earn more from its Chyangra pashmina, ITC worked with the government to create a national export strategy that includes more processing of the wool. For the first time, Nepal is turning raw wool into other products.
We work with goat farmer cooperatives in Upper Mustang and other Himalayan districts so they can also make higher-value products. Our training programmes for small businesses and Nepalese institutions show how to complete globally.
Our work was funded by the EU-Nepal Trade-Related Assistance but is now being complemented by the UK Trade Partnership Programme (UKTP) financed by the British Government.

Small businesses that simply cut and sew are no longer sustainable models. To reach governments’ goals for job creation, companies must turn raw materials into textiles and clothing, which are more valuable products. That means diversifying their portfolios and, in some cases, developing new products.
So that developing countries produce textiles and clothing that compete in global markets, ITC is:
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Working with small businesses to produce higher-value products, not just sell raw materials.
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Fostering improved institutional ecosystems to support the sector.
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Sharing knowledge across borders.
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Introducing lean manufacturing, which maximizes productivity while reducing waste.
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Ensuring companies' social and environmental performance.
