While it has been a hot topic of discussion at all textile and clothing conferences and seminars, the shift in manufacturing is being noticed in major importing countries such as the US and UK. For instance, as per recent UKFT data, there are 58,000 businesses in the fashion and textile supply sector in the UK, which contribute around £12billion in gross value to the UK economy per year. These companies contribute annual exports of more than £8.6billion ($13billion) at wholesale.
Also according to the British Fashion Council research, the value, including retail sales, of the UK fashion industry to the UK economy grew from £21billion in 2009 to £26billion in 2014, with the fashion sector as a whole estimated to support 797,000 jobs in the UK. Brands like Margaret Howell, Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, Jaeger, Arcadia Group and River Island are increasingly sourcing from within UK.
Experts point out that closer to home sourcing is on the rise owing to factors such as speed to market, quick accessibility and easier visits to factories, check on production quality and a better gross margin. The shift is also being witnessed in the US. Textiles and apparel segment still lags behind but there has been an increase in production of about 2.4 per cent domestically, up from 1.75 per cent in 2003. The New York-listed American Apparel, for instance, operates one of the largest sewing factories in North America.
www.ukft.org
