Where Do Your Clothes Come From? Top Garment Manufacturing Companies
Clothing manufacturing is a global market. Odds are you have clothing in your wardrobe that is the result of the global garment manufacturing industry. It may have been made locally, partially locally, or made somewhere else entirely and imported.
Have you ever given thought to where your clothes come from?
Whether it’s coats, blue jeans, or t-shirts, here are some of the top exporting countries and the garment manufacturers there.
China
China is the leading exporter of clothes and textiles and has held this title for years. Most major companies will have some presence in China.
Their textile workforce is skilled, and the government has invested in transportation infrastructure to further aid manufacturers.
However, their market share has been shrinking over the years due to increased competition from other countries, especially in Asia.
Despite that, they still remain a top exporter in the garment industry.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh garment manufacturers have consistently been one of the top exporting countries for garments. Their low labor and large workforce allow for large export numbers.
They are the second-largest garment manufacturer in the world. Top brands like H&M and Target are investing in Bangladesh, which produces many of their garments, in an effort to produce more recycled clothes at an affordable price.
India
India has a long history of textile manufacturing. Their industry is heavily linked to local agriculture, due to the availability of raw materials such as cotton.
India’s textile and apparel industry consists of unorganized and organized sectors.
The unorganized sector includes handicraft and handloom items. These are produced on a small scale using traditional methods.
The organized sector uses modern techniques for apparel manufacturing.
Over the past two decades, India’s textiles industry has attracted $3.75 billion USD in investment, indicating continued growth. Manufacturers like Indo Count Industries Ltd. have continued to invest in expanding their production capacity.
United States
Garment manufacturing in the U.S. has had its ups and downs, decreasing in the 1990s but slowly returning in recent years. This is due to the concern of unsafe labor conditions overseas, in places like Bangladesh and India.
This has led to smaller, more boutique labels and brands popping up stateside. They often place an emphasis on more eco-friendly products made under fair labor conditions.
American garment manufacturers have high labor costs. However, this is offset by the high quality of their products. The U.S. is also able to take advantage of manufacturers and imported goods and parts in other nearby countries like Mexico and Canada, allowing them to import resources.
For example, these tags and labels are made by a company in Canada, but can easily be imported into the U.S. and used in creating a final garment product, allowing a U.S. manufacturer to create a high-quality product at a reasonable price.
Your Clothes Come From Garment Manufacturers Around the World
These are just some of the most popular places to manufacture garments. Garment manufacturers around the world work hard to produce the clothes you wear year-round. It’s a massive industry and a huge producer for many countries’ economies.
If you liked this article, be sure to check out similar articles in our Fashion and Shopping category.
