According to a new World Bank report, Pakistan has been successful in establishing and growing its apparel manufacturing industry, however, more can be done to realize its potential as a regional hub and to continue to boost opportunities, especially for women and the poor.

The report, The Stitches to Riches Apparel Employment Trade and Economic Development, launched in Pakistan, is aimed at demystifying the global and South Asian apparel markets, estimating the potential gains in exports and jobs and identifying policies that can unleash country’s export and job potential compared with those of their closest competitors in the Southeast Asia region – Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia.

The report finds that it is important for South Asian economies to remove existing impediments and facilitate growth in apparel to capture more production and create more employment as wages rise in China.The successful manufacturers will be those who can supply a wide range of quality products to buyers rapidly and reliably, not just those who offer low costs.

China currently dominates global apparel trade but that may change in coming years due to the rising prices in China.