Czech textile and clothing companies last year showcased their best results in the past 12 years. Data from a survey carried out by the Czech Association of Textile, Clothing and Leather Industries (ATOK) 2017 records companies sold fibres, textiles and clothing valued at 55.3 billion crowns. This was largely due to the fast growing economy and focus on technical textiles, which are used in the automobile industry, agriculture, health care and aviation. The head of the Czech Association of Textile, Clothing and Leather Industries, Jiří Česal points out. The growth suggests a close interconnection between the textile industry and other fields. It is clearly driven by the auto industry which uses textiles for the production of many of its components.

Currently, technical textiles make up two thirds of global textile production and experts say their significance will continue to grow. Česal says seven out of the country’s top 10 textile producers manufacture technical textile. The Czech Republic’s leading producer is Juta, which produces unwoven textiles for the building industry and agriculture, followed by nappies producer Pegas Nonwovens.

As per a study by Czech Association of Textile, Clothing and Leather Industry, Textile and Clothing Associations last year recruited new employees and increased their salaries. Wages increased by over seven per cent, with workers in textile companies achieving an average wage of 24,000 crowns.

Just like in other fields, however, Czech textile and clothing companies are facing a serious lack of workers. Earlier, Czechoslovakia was a textile and clothing industry power, but in the 1990s many of the country’s companies went bankrupt following cheap imports from Asia.