Rimvydas Milašius,
Daiva Mikučionienė
GENERAL PROBLEMS OF THE FIBRE AND TEXTILE INDUSTRIES
Kaunas University of Technology,
Department of Materials Engineering
Studentu 56, LT-51424 Kaunas, Lithuania
E-mail: rimvydas.milasius@ktu.lt
Comparative Analysis of Textile and Clothing
Industry in the EU and Turkey
Abstract
In this study, a comparative analysis of the textile and clothing industry in the enlarged
EU27 is made with respect to the 10 Central and Eastern European countries and Turkey
for the period 2011 - 2012. This period was chosen because growth in textile and clothing as well as in all European industry in 2010 was an outcome of the economic crisis of
2008 - 2009. The selection of countries was made on purpose to highlight trends for the
textile and clothing industry in the 10 Central and Eastern European Union (EU-CE10)
countries compared with the old EU member countries (EU15) and Turkey. The findings for
the period 2011 - 2012 can be thus interpreted: Italy, France, Turkey, Germany and United
Kingdom are the leaders of investments and turnover in the sector of textile and clothing in
the total of millions of Euros; however, the most of the EU-CE10 countries and Turkey are
leaders with respect to the percentage of investments and turnover. While the importance of
the textile and clothing industry for a country’s economy is very different for the countries
analysed – more than 3% of the GDP (gross domestic product) is observed only in Turkey,
Bulgaria, Portugal and Italy.
Key words: textile, clothing, industry.
nIntroduction
The textile and clothing industries play a
significant role in the economic progress
of many countries in the world, and in
some of them they are the key industries.
Over recent years, international textile
and clothing industries have shown dynamic growth in the global production of
textile and clothing products.
A few decades ago, the manufacturing
of low-value-added textile and clothing
products was moved to the developing
countries. Developed countries retain
mainly the manufacture of high valueadded textile products based on innovation and research, as well as high-quality
well-known brands of clothing products.
Developing countries, especially those
from the Asian region, are world’s leaders in textile and clothing export, which
is one of the key levers of their rapid economic growth [1]. The textile and clothing industries continue to support the
economic growth of developing countries, which have a lack of capital but
have a surplus in inexpensive labour [2].
When the textile and clothing industries
had reached a high level of technology
and production in the most developed
countries, these industries were transferred to developing countries such as
China, Turkey, Bangladesh, etc., wherein
they progressed and developed. China’s,
with one of the cheapest labour and largest textile and clothing industries and
export, entry into the WTO in 2001 provided easier access to international markets [3]. Consequently a rapid increase
occurred in Chinese exports to the EU
with the elimination of quotas.
8
Similar to most of the exporter countries, Turkey was concerned about losing its competitiveness in the EU market.
In this global situation, Turkey’s textile
and clothing exports have continued to
increase in value but not in quantity [4].
Low and medium-low technology production in lower cost locations has begun to make the price of these products
fall. The export of these products has
increased in quantity, but the increase in
value is limited. The greatest pressures
for accelerated change within the EU textile and clothing industries sector come
from the elimination of textile and clothing import quotas in 2005, the ongoing
negotiations on import charges and other
taxes and duties, and the global crisis that
started in 2008, affecting most industries
in developed economies [5].
A comparative analysis of textile and
clothing industries in the enlarged EU27
is made with respect to the 10 Central
and Eastern European Union countries
(EU-CE10) and Turkey for the period
2011 - 2012.
The selection of countries was made on
purpose to highlight trends for the textile
and clothing industry in the 10 Central
and Eastern European Union (EU-CE10)
countries compared with the old EU
member countries (EU15) and Turkey.
The textile and clothing industries in
Turkey are one of the most important
low-tech sectors in the Turkish economy
and have been its accelerator since the
early 1980’s, when Turkey was opened to
foreign markets [6]. In May of 2004, the
enlargement of the EU with the accession
of 10 new countries had a positive con-
Milašius R, Mikučionienė D. Comparative Analysis of Textile and Clothing Industry in the EU and Turkey.
FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2014; 22, 3(105): 8-16.
The period of 2011 - 2012 was chosen
not at random but because not until 2011
were relative stability and growth in textile and clothing as well as in all European industry observed after economic
crisis of 2008 - 2009.
The main goal of this study was to compare the situation in EU-CE10 countries
with that in EU15 countries and Turkey
and to analyse the differences and similarities between the textile and clothing
industry of the regions presented.
Textile and clothing
manufacturing turnover
in 2011 - 2012
EU textile and clothing manufacturing
activity during the five last years has
been gradually strengthening, though not
consistently, but with evolutions turning to positive growth rates. However,
this growth is in a large part caused by
the economic crisis in 2008, when the
textile and clothing industry in most
EU countries underwent a downturn.
For example, in Lithuania, in the period
2007 - 2009 the textile and clothing turnover declined by approx. 30%, while in
2010 around 15% growth was observed
[7]. In the last three years, in separate
EU countries different tendencies are observed. Our analysis was made according
to data presented in official EU and Euratex sources [8 - 10].
The textile and clothing manufacturing turnover in EU27 countries was
157,369.52 million euros in 2011 and
152,911.74 million euros in 2012.
The textile and clothing manufacturing turnover in EU-CE10 countries was
14,691.63 million euros in 2011 and
14,706.89 million euros in 2012, respectively. In Turkey the textile and
clothing manufacturing turnover was
FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2014, Vol. 22, 3(105)
250000
2011
2012
Turnover in millions of euros
tribution to the comparative advantage of
textile and clothing products. 2005 is a
significant date for Turkey’s textile and
clothing industries because all textile
and clothing quotas and restrictions were
eliminated by the WTO. In 2008, textile
and clothing products together constituted 7.1% and 10.3% of the total Turkish
merchandise exports, respectively, and
Turkey was ranked 7th in terms of textile
exports, 4th for clothing exports in the
world and was the second biggest exporter to the EU for both textile and clothing
exports, following China [4].
200000
150000
100000
50000
0
EU27
EU-CE10
Turkey
EU27+Turkey
Figure 1. Textile and clothing turnover in 2011 – 2012 (own presentation based on source
[8])
44,331.75 million euros in 2011 and
47,577.89 million euros in 2012, with a
significant growth of 7.3% (see Figure 1)
[8]. In 2011 - 2012, the textile and clothing manufacturing turnover in EU–CE10
countries barely changed (slight growth
of 0.10%), whereas in EU27 countries
it declined by 2.8%. However, the textile and clothing manufacturing turnover
generated in the EU27 and Turkey in
the period analysed practically did not
change, declining by 0.6%. It is clear that
the decline in textile and clothing turnover in the EU27 is hidden by the turnover
growth in Turkey.
The turnover in the textile and clothing sectors in different European Union
countries as well as in Turkey varied differently in the period analysed. The data
presented in Table 1 illustrates the differences in turnover changes in the textile
and clothing sectors in the whole EU27,
in the EU–CE10 and in Turkey. In Turkey, the turnover changes in 2011 - 2012
are positive in both the textile and clothing sectors, respectively, +5.81% and
+9.39%. In the EU27 a significant decline (–4.53%) was observed in the textile manufacturing turnover, and a slight
decline (–0.96%) in the clothing manu-
facturing turnover, while in EU–EC10
countries in the textile sector +1.67%
turnover growth was observed but in the
clothing sector – a 1.48% turnover decline in the period analysed. These data
show that the situation in the textile and
clothing sectors in the old EU member
countries (EU15) and in the EU–EC10
are apparently different. Moreover the
growth in the textile and clothing turnover in Turkey compensated for the decline in turnover in this sector of the European Union in the period analysed. The
decline in the total EU27+Turkey textile
and clothing turnover in 2011 - 2012 was
only 0.6%, meaning that the decline is
not visible and what is more we cannot
state the decline because it is in the limits
of statistical error (less than 1%).
The different levels of turnover in various EU countries and Turkey in 2012
are presented in Figure 2 (see page 10).
In Figure 2.a, the textile manufacturing
turnover in Turkey and EU countries is
presented, highlighting differences in the
old EU member countries (EU15), Central and Eastern European Union countries (EU-CE10) and Turkey. The obvious leader in 2012 according to turnover
in the textile sector is Turkey, with a turn-
Table 1. Textile and clothing manufacturing turnover (own presentation based on source
[8]).
Textile
Country
EU27
EU-CE10
Turkey
in millions of euros
Clothing
change in %
in millions of euros
change in %
2011
2012
2012/2011
2011
2012
2012/2011
82 453.87
78 716.93
– 4.53
74 915.65
74 194.81
– 0.96
7 376.61
7 500.14
+ 1.67
7 315.02
7 206.75
– 1.48
25 655.06
27 147.51
+ 5.81
18 676.69
20 430.38
+ 9.39
9
27147.51
30000
19563.10
25000
Cyprus
24.17
37.40
94.05
Malta
Latvia
256.50
142.53
Ireland
320.41
Lithuania
Estonia
323.69
361.40
Slovakia
Bulgaria
417.0
Hungary
376.60
507.40
Slovenia
614.74
Finland
Greece
805.20
1080.98
1914.61
2297.0
670.40
Denmark
Sweden
Romania
Czech Republic
2354.90
Poland
Austria
2826.06
4690.0
2715.18
Netherlands
24.08
Cyprus
59.80
34.18
Malta
Ireland
148.90
Estonia
164.0
Slovenia
184.38
Latvia
293.0
239.17
Sweden
Finland
312.71
Hungary
325.38
Lithuania
379.13
345.36
Slovakia
Denmark
440.01
Netherlands
805.0
977.75
1010.0
608.17
Czech Republic
Belgium
Greece
Austria
1077.77
Bulgaria
2146.08
1894.0
Poland
Romania
4680.0
3426.03
2954.93
Portugal
Germany
Turkey
France
Italy
0
United Kingdom
10000
Spain
15000
9204.41
20000
5000
b)
United Kingdom
France
20430.38
30000
10933.57
Turnover in millions of euros
Turnover
in million euro
35000
31527.0
a)
Germany
Turkey
0
Italy
5000
Spain
10000
Portugal
6419.13
12475.86
15000
4777.60
20000
Belgium
25000
12651.02
Turnover in
in million
millionseuro
of euros
Turnover
35000
Figure 2. Textile (a) and clothing (b) turnover in EU27 countries and Turkey in 2012 (own presentation based on source [8]).
over of 27145.51 million euros. The leader in the EU textile sector is Italy, with a
turnover of 19,563.10 million euros. The
next two EU15 countries with more than
10,000 million euros turnover in the textile sector are Germany and France, and
also the United Kingdom, with more than
5000 million euros turnover. Equally
we can observe that the turnover in the
textile sector in Belgium and Spain was
not much lower 5,000 million euros,
4,778 and 4,690 million euros, respec-
10
tively. In the Eastern European Union
countries (EU-CE10), three countries can
be distinguished by their turnover in the
textile sector – Poland, Czech Republic
and Romania. The turnovers of the remaining EU–CE10 countries are significantly lower.
The obvious leader in 2012 according to
turnover in the clothing sector is Italy, with
a turnover of 31,527 million euros. Italy’s
turnover in the clothing sector was approx.
60% higher than in the textile sector. Turkey is the second country by turnover in
this sector – 20,430.38 million euros (approx. 30% lower than in the textile sector).
In terms of clothing turnover these EU15
countries follow: France (10,933.57 million
euros), Germany (9,204.41 million euros) and Spain (4,680.00 million euros).
The leaders by turnover in the clothing sector in Eastern European Union countries (EU-CE10) are Romania
(2,146.08
million
euros),
Poland
FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2014, Vol. 22, 3(105)
Textile
Clothing
– constant (≤ ± 1%),
– declined (own presentation based
44.15
Ireland
69.22
55.97
Cyprus
Sweden
Poland
Slovakia
Latvia
Greece
Finland
Romania
United Kingdom
Malta
Denmark
Netherlands
Netherland
Spain
Bulgaria
Lithuania
Czech Republic
Germany
Slovenia
Estonia
Austria
France
Belgium
Portugal
Turkey
0
Italy
100
Hungary
110.25
110.13
123.81
136.35
141.04
148.19
156.30
151.11
200
Average in EU
172.07
188.05
196.42
188.59
202.83
240.15
214.69
300
282.59
400
267.04
500
302.54
600
357.95
700
391.68
636.71
800
548.38
505.62
900
– grew,
840.01
Turnover per citizen in euro
Figure 3. Change in textile and clothing turnover in 2011 – 2012:
on source [8]).
Figure 4. Textile and clothing turnover per citizen in 2012 in euros (own presentation based on source [8, 9]).
(1894 million euros) and Bulgaria
(1,077.77
million
euros),
followed by the Czech Republic with
a turnover of 608.17 million euros. The turnovers of the remaining
EU–CE10 countries were much lower
than 500 million euros.
FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2014, Vol. 22, 3(105)
A map of changes in the textile (a) and
clothing (b) turnover in 2011 – 2012 is
presented in Figure 3. Growth in turnover in the textile sector was seen in
Romania, Hungary, Latvia (more than
10%), Lithuania, Estonia, Turkey, Malta
(5 – 10%), Slovenia, the United King-
dom (1 – 5%), and Slovakia (less than
1%). Growth in turnover in the clothing
sector was in Turkey, Latvia, Hungary,
Malta (5 – 10%), Belgium, Romania
(1 – 5%), France, the Czech Republic,
and Italy (less than 1%).
11
8.20
8
7
0.13
Ireland
0.29
0.44
0.45
0.27
Sweden
Cyprus
Finland
0.54
United Kingdom
Denmark
0.75
0.56
0.87
Average in EU
Netherlands
Netherland
Hungary
Germania
Germany
0.96
0.99
0.87
Greece
Spain
1.12
Malta
Austria
Latvia
Belgium
Slovenia
Czech Republic
Lithuania
Romania
Estonia
Italy
Portugal
Bulgaria
0
Turkey
1
Slovakia
1.18
1.14
1.22
Poland
1.33
France
1.74
1.57
2
1.75
2.07
3
2.28
2.46
4
3.45
5
3.70
6
3.84
Ratio of textile&clothing turnover and GDP
in %
9
Figure 5. Ratio of textile and clothing turnover and GDP in 2012 (own presentation based on source [8,10]).
Over the first few months in 2013 there
were signs that textile and clothing output was recovering. Indicators pointed
to an upward trend during the 3rd quarter
2013: +1.5% in both the textile and clothing sectors together as compared with the
same period of the previous year.
Textile
Importance of textile
and clothing industries
in particular regions and
countries
One of the important indices of textile
and clothing industries is the turnover
Clothing
Figure 6. Change in textile (a) and clothing (b) turnover per employee in 2011–2012:
– declined (own presentation based on source [8, 10]).
12
per citizen in euro (Figure 4). The average turnover per citizen in the textile and
clothing industry in 2012 was 236 euro
per citizen [8, 9]. This average value was
exceeded by five EU15 countries – Italy
3.6 times (this country is the absolute
leader in this comparative index), Portu-
– grew,
– remained constant (≤ ± 1%),
FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2014, Vol. 22, 3(105)
27.63
Hungary
34.63
32.06
Bulgaria
35.57
41.38
Lithuania
Romania
46.71
Poland
Cyprus
Turkey
22.43
18.35
17.47
17.35
15.73
13.32
9.95
Slovakia
Poland
Latvia
Lithuania
Hungary
Romania
Bulgaria
24.34
23.68
Czech Republic
31.58
Slovenia
Estonia
35.26
Portugal
44.93
38.04
Cyprus
48.24
Greece
Ireland
Malta
Spain
Italy
United Kingdom
Netherland
Netherlands
Austria
Belgium
Finland
Germany
Sweden
Denmark
0
France
50
Average in EU
Turkey
74.84
Slovenia
Ireland
85.45
100
92.06
United Kingdom
109.15
Italy
127.84
118.78
Sweden
132.03
150
Germany
Austria
Finland
170.37
200
178.12
Netherlands
Netherland
Denmark
197.22
250
239.96
251.51
300
206.54
Belgium
50
Latvia
47.74
Slovakia
65.87
Estonia
63.10
53.12
71.27
Portugal
84.33
72.73
85.47
Greece
Average in EU
Czech Republic
87.79
Spain
94.20
100
Malta
102.33
145.44
113.89
149.89
155.47
175.09
150
a)
Turnover
per
employee
in thousand
euro
Turnover
per
employee
in thousands
of euros
187.89
200
0
b)
212.56
241.23
222.12
287.73
250
France
Turnover
employee
thousand
euro
Turnover per
per employee
in in
thousands
of euros
300
Figure 7. Textile (a) and clothing (b) turnover per employee in 2012 in thousands of euros (own presentation based on source [8, 10]).
gal and Belgium with more than 2 times,
then Austria, France and Germany; and
by three EU–CE10 countries – Estonia,
Slovenia, and the Czech Republic, with
very few being behind Lithuania. Turkey’s EU average value exceeded even
2.7 times.
FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2014, Vol. 22, 3(105)
The ratio of textile and clothing turnover
and GDP demonstrates the importance of
this industry for the economy of a particular country (Figure 5). The average
ratio of textile and clothing turnover and
GDP in the EU is 1.38% [8, 10]. The
leaders in the EU in terms of this ratio
are Bulgaria, Portugal and Italy, with
more than 3%. The ratio of textile and
clothing turnover and GDP in Estonia,
Romania and Lithuania is more than 2%,
and Czech Republic, Slovenia and Belgium exceed the average value (1.38%)
of the ratio mentioned, with Latvia be-
13
1657.66
1800
1400
1200
6.10
2.62
2.47
2.07
1.01
Malta
Latvia
Ireland
Cyprus
7.29
Finland
7.31
Denmark
17.66
Estonia
18.54
Lithuania
14.43
11.75
20.9
Bulgaria
Slovenia
28.35
Sweden
Hungary
28.81
Greece
51.0
Slovakia
53.75
Netherlands
Austria
81.58
76.1
Romania
Portugal
105.0
Poland
148.0
109.90
Belgium
871.6
a)
United Kingdom
France
Germany
Italy
0
Turkey
200
152.73
400
Spain
220.34
600
Czech Republic
800
384.35
1000
557.55
420.44
Investment ininmillions
euros
Investment
millionofeuros
1600
900
700
0
Malta
Ireland
0.83
0.57
1.70
Finland
Cyprus
2.12
Estonia
Sweden
4.83
4.41
5.45
Netherlands
8.31
Denmark
Slovenia
10.35
8.48
Latvia
Lithuania
12.08
12.25
Slovakia
12.41
Hungary
Austria
Belgium
36.18
28.71
20.50
55.36
50.8
58.34
47.43
Greece
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
b)
Spain
Germany
France
Italy
0
Turkey
100
United Kingdom
200
Portugal
300
121.79
75.0
204.46
400
Poland
500
Romania
600
122.41
468.23
Investment
Investmentininmillion
millionseuro
of euros
800
Figure 8. Investment in textile (a) and clothing (b) manufacturing in 2012 in millions of euros (own presentation based on source [8]).
ing very close to the average. The results
in Figure 5 demonstrate that the textile
and clothing industry for the economies
of most EU–CE10 countries and two
countries of the EU15 – Portugal and Italy – has an important impact. However,
much more importance of the textile and
clothing industry for the overall national
economy is in Turkey. The ratio of textile
and clothing turnover and GDP in Turkey
14
in 2012 was 8.2%, approx. 6 times higher
the EU average value.
The turnover per employee rate demonstrates labour efficiency. The turnover
per employee in the textile sector in 2012
is presented in Figure 7.a (see page 13).
The average value of the turnover per
employee in the EU was 110.54 thousand
euros. Ten EU15 countries exceeded this
average value – France (287.73 thousand
euros per employee), Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Finland, Germany (more than 150 thousand euros per
employee), Sweden, Italy and the United
Kingdom. Only one EU–CE10 country is
close to the EU average – Slovenia, with
102.33 thousand euros per employee.
The labour efficiency in almost all
FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2014, Vol. 22, 3(105)
1.45
2
1.20
1.09
1.98
2.22
2.30
2.60
Sweden
2.69
2.63
Average in EU
Latvia
2.82
3.04
3
2.85
2.85
3.16
Germany
3.37
Spain
4
3.43
4.18
3.83
4.46
5
4.61
6
5.51
7
5.13
6.11
Investment and turnover ratio in %
8
7.01
8.90
7.978
7.55
9
Denmark
0.58
Malta 0
Ireland
Spain
Netherlands
Austria
Germany
Estonia
Denmark
Italy
United Kingdom
Sweden
France
Portugal
Belgium
Lithuania
Cyprus
Slovakia
Greece
Hungary
Poland
Turkey
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Slovenia
1
Finland
0.95
1.08
1.10
1.33
1.23
1.42
1.44
1.48
1.62
2
Average in EU
1.84
1.97
1.87
3
Latvia
Finland
Ireland
Netherlands
Austria
Belgium
Portugal
Slovenia
2.55
Estonia
France
Italy
United Kingdom
2.61
3.50
3.45
Hungary
Cyprus
Poland
Greece
3.92
3.70
Bulgaria
Lithuania
4.40
4.27
3.96
Turkey
4.72
Malta
Romania
4
0
b)
5.61
5.07
5
Romania
Investment and turnover ratio in %
6
Czech Republic
a)
5.67
0
Slovakia
1
Figure 9. Ratio of investment in the manufacturing and turnover of textile (a) and clothing (b) manufacturing in 2012 in% (own presentation based on source [8]).
EU–CE10 should be improved. The index of labour efficiency in Turkey is also
apparently (1.75 times) lower the EU average.
The turnover per employee in the clothing sector in 2012 is presented in Figure 7.b. The average value of turnover
per employee in the clothing sector in
FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2014, Vol. 22, 3(105)
the EU was 88.45 thousand euros (20%
lower than in the textile sector). Eleven
EU15 countries exceeded this average
value – France, Denmark, Sweden (more
than 200 thousand euros per employee),
Germany, Finland, Belgium (more than
150 thousand euros per employee), Austria, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain. The turnover per
employee in Turkey in 2012 was approx.
2 times lower than the EU average. It
should be stated that labour efficiency
in the clothing sector in EU–CE10 countries on average is very low as compared
to the EU15, and the gap in labour efficiency in the clothing industry between
the EU15 and EU–CE10 is much more
evident than in the textile industry.
15
In Figure 6 (see page 12), a map of
changes in the textile (a) and clothing (b)
turnover per employee in 2011 – 2012 is
presented. The rate of turnover per employee in the textile sector declined in
Ireland (even 29%), Germany, Denmark,
Italy, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, the
Netherlands and Bulgaria, and the clothing sector declined in the Netherlands,
Denmark, Greece (more than 10%), Slovenia, Bulgaria, Austria, Cyprus, France
and Germany (1 – 6%). The turnover per
employee in the textile and clothing sectors in 2011 – 2012 grew or remained
constant in most EU–CE10 countries, but
slightly declined in Turkey.
Investments in textile and
clothing industries
in 2011 - 2012
Investments in the industry determine the
long-term productivity growth and indicate the approach of manufacturers to
industrial development. In some cases it
allows the manufacturing of higher-added-value products. In Figure 8 (see page
14), the rate of investments in millions of
euros in textile (a) and clothing (b) manufacturing in 2012 is presented.
The absolute leader in the rate of investments in both the textile and clothing
sectors in 2012 was Turkey, with 1658
and 872 million euros, respectively [8].
The most invested EU15 countries were
Italy (558 million euros in the textile sector and 468 million euros in the clothing sector), France (420 million euros
in the textile sector and 204 million euros in the clothing sector) and Germany
(384 million euros in the textile sector and
122 million euros in the clothing sector).
These countries are the overall leaders in
the EU27 in terms of the investment rate
in textile and clothing manufacturing.
However, investment in the textile sector
in Turkey was 3 times and in the clothing sector – almost 2 times higher than
in Italy, the leader in the EU with respect
to investments. The countries with the
most investment in textile manufacturing
in the EU–CE10 region were the Czech
Republic, Poland and Romania, and in
the clothing sector – Romania, Poland
and Bulgaria. In general, investments in
textile manufacturing are higher than in
the clothing sector, except in Romania
and Bulgaria. In Turkey, investment in
the textile sector in 2012 was 90% higher
than in the clothing sector. Respectively,
investments in textile manufacturing in
the Czech Republic was 5.5 times, in the
United Kingdom and Austria – approx.
4 times, in Spain – 3 times, and in the
16
Netherlands – even 11 times higher than
in clothing manufacturing.
In Figure 9, the ratio of investment in the
manufacturing and turnover of textile (a)
and clothing (b) manufacturing in 2012
in % is presented. This ratio demonstrates
what percentage of the turnover is committed to investment into manufacturing.
In the textile sector in 2012, Slovakia,
the Czech Republic, Romania, Malta,
Turkey and Lithuania committed to investment more than 5% of the turnover,
with Bulgaria, Greece, Poland, Cyprus,
Hungary, the United Kingdom, France,
Spain and Germany more than 3% ( average in EU27 – 3.8%). In the clothing
sector, Romania, Latvia and Slovenia
committed to investment more than 5%
of their turnover, with the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Turkey, Poland, Hungary,
Greece, Slovakia and Cyprus committing
more than 3% ( average in EU27 in clothing sector – 2.6 %). In total in the EU27,
the ratio of investment in the textile sector and turnover is more than 80% higher
than that in the clothing sector; in Turkey
it is more than 90% higher.
The data in Figure 9 (see page 15) show
that EU–CE10 countries and Turkey
commit a higher percentage of turnover
to manufacturing than the average value
in the EU27, whereas the percentage ratio of investment and turnover in the old
EU15 countries is less than the average
of the EU27. This analysis suggests that
the textile and clothing industry in Turkey and the EU–CE10 is progressing and
gradually creating competition for EU
countries with its old and strong textile
and clothing tradition.
nConclusions
The analysis shows that the decline in
the EU textile and clothing industry
is compensated by Turkey, and in the
last few years in the region analysed
(EU+Turkey) this industry has not undergone significant changes. The old EU
members (EU15) are still the leaders in
the EU textile and clothing industry, but
the gap with some EU-EE10 countries is
decreasing, especially in the textile sector. The development of clothing and textile sectors in the majority of countries
differs, therefore it is not correct to analyse these two sectors together – separate
analysis of these sectors gives more information about trends of development
of countries and the importance of these
sectors in each country. Despite the old
EU15 countries mostly being the textile
and clothing industry leaders in the EU,
the ratio of turnover and GDP as well
as that of investment and turnover show
much higher results in EU-CE10 countries, meaning that the gap between these
two regions of the EU has the tendency
to decrease more and more. Herewith it
is necessary to note that the economical
indexes mentioned for Turkey are much
higher than the EU average and sometimes a few times higher than in the case
of EU textile and clothing industry leaders. For example, investment in both the
textile and clothing sectors in 2012 in
Turkey was approx. 2.5 times higher than
in Italy, which is the absolutely leader
in the EU. Thus it can be stated that if
this tendency remains, in the next decade
the growth of Turkey’s textile and clothing industry will be more and more. The
analysis also demonstrates that the textile
and clothing industry in the EU–CE10 is
progressing and this EU region in the future will be more and more important for
the EU textile and clothing industry.
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Received 14.01.2014
Reviewed 13.03.2014
FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2014, Vol. 22, 3(105)