Translated by
Nicola Mira
Published
Aug 28, 2017
Reading time
2 minutes
Download
Download the article
Print
Text size

US textile industry pays country's lowest manufacturing wages

Translated by
Nicola Mira
Published
Aug 28, 2017

US rural textile workers are no more than 30% the number they were in 2001, and are reportedly the lowest-paid in the entire US manufacturing industry. The fact was included in a recently published report, as the US textile industry is struggling to hire blue-collar workers.


Employment trends in metropolitan and non-metropolitan manufacturing sectors in the USA - USDA


According to the US Department of Agriculture, value-added industrial output has fallen back to "pre-recession levels", and continues to lose out in terms of share of GDP. "Rural employment in textiles and apparel experienced the strongest decline between the years 2001 and 2015; nevertheless, the three relevant sub-sectors (textile manufacturing, textile product manufacturing and apparel manufacturing) account for a relatively small percentage of rural manufacturing jobs (3% in 2015 compared to 9% in 2001)," wrote the US Department of Agriculture.


Average salary levels in US rural manufacturing - USDA


The phenomenon is causing a whole series of issues. US textile manufacturers, just like their European counterparts, are faced with difficulties in recruiting qualified workers, as the textile industry struggles to attract personnel. This also contributes to slowing down the relocation of output, while costs in Asia are on the rise.

This affects rural regions in particular, since non-metropolitan areas account for a higher share of US textile industry output than do metropolitan areas. In the last few years, fears have grown about the long-term impact of a vicious circle, as the lack of output capacity causes a gradual decline in orders, leading to manufacturing facilities which are technologically obsolete.


USDA


Last year, the textile supply chain generated some 565,000 jobs. The sector mostly depends on textile and apparel imports, which reached $74.4 billion, growing by 11%, while exports are only 26.3%. An imbalance which the US government intends to redress by burying the Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement and threatening North American trade deals.

Copyright © 2024 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.