Pakistan
Islamic Republic of Pakistan │ اِسلامی جمہوریہ پاكِستان
The Pakistani textile and garment industry, with its center in the province of Punjab, is Pakistan's most important industrial sector. It contributes about 8.5 per cent to GDP and 62 per cent of export revenues. An estimated 15 million people, about 25 per cent of the total workforce, are employed in this sector, especially in areas such as leather tanning and processing with almost 3 million of those employed in a garment factory setting. Industrial productivity is low in comparison to other countries in the region.
Demand from international buyers for sustainably produced textiles is increasing. Pakistan's textile and fashion industry is facing a major modernization process, for which sustainable production will fast become a necessity.
Population
Total
246.5 million (2023)
Gross Domestic Product
GDP per Capita (constant USD, thousand)
1,473.9 (2021)
Human Development Index Ranking
HDI Rank (out of 191 countries)
161 (2021/22)
Garment/Textile Workers
Number of workers in the garment/textile sector
15 million (2023)
Women Workers in the Garment/Textile Industry
Percentage of women workers employed in the garment/textile industry
6-8% (2023)
Number of Garment/Textile Factories
Number of factories in the garment/textile industry
10,000 (2023)
Garment/Textile Industry Exports
(USD$ billion)
USD 18.66 billion (2022)
Garment/Textile Industry Size
Percentage of total exports
60.82% (2022)
Key Garment/Textile Export Markets
Top five countries ($USD value exported and subsequent percentage)
| Country | Percentage of Exports |
|---|---|
| United States | 26.42% |
| United Kingdom | 10.42% |
| Germany | 8% |
| Netherlands | 6.71% |
| China | 5.55% |
Government Entities
Government agencies actively involved in the garment/textile industry
Economic Affairs Division
Ministry of Climate Change
Ministry of Commerce
Ministry of Industries, Labour and Commerce, Government of AJK
Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development
Ministry of Planning and Development
Pakistan Council of Research on Water Resources
Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division
Provincial Environmental Protection Agencies
Provincial Labour Department
Provincial SDGs Support Units
Provincial Youth Affairs Department
Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority
Textile Industry Division, Government of Pakistan
Worker Organizations
Trade unions, Union federations, and other worker organizations
All Pakistan Labour Federation
Home based Women Workers Federation
HomeNet Pakistan
Insaf Workers Federation
National Trade Union Federation
Pakistan Workers Federation
Employer/Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce
Employers and industry related associations, private sectors associations and chambers of commerce
All Pakistan Textile Mills Association
Pakistan Tanners Association
All Pakistan Processing Mills Association
Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association
Korangi Association of Trade and Industry
Development Agencies/ International Organizations
National and international development organizations working within the garment/textile industry
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Market Development Facility (MDF) – Pakistan
Cleaner Production Institute
SMA Rizvi Textile Institute
Center for the Improvement of Working Conditions and Environment
National Textile University
University of Agriculture
Civil Society Organizations/ Non-governmental Organizations
Organizations working within the garment/textile industry
Pakistan Regional Economic Integration Activity (PRIEA), USAID Project
USAID Pakistan
Delegation of the European Union to Pakistan
Netherlands Embassy in Islamabad
Sources of data provided
- Population: Preliminary results of 2023 census
- GDP Per Capita: GDP per capita (constant 2015 US$) - Pakistan
- HDI: Country Insights | Human Development Reports (undp.org)
- Garment / Textile Workers: GIZ Pakistan
- Women Workers in the Garment /Textile Industry: GIZ Pakistan
- Number of Garment / Textile Factories: GIZ Pakistan
- Garment / Textile Industry Export Market: https://www.pbs.gov.pk/trade-detail
- Garment / Textile Industry Size:
-
Key Garment / Textile Export Markets: https://wits.worldbank.org/CountryProfile/en/Country/PAK/Year/2020/TradeFlow/Export/Partner/all/Product/50-63_TextCloth
What's going on in Pakistan?
Azizullah Goheer is the Secretary General of Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA). We talk to him about the current state of the textile sector in Pakistan and what challenges and significant changes the textile industry is facing.
News on Pakistan
Extreme Heat Threatens Workers in Asia Amid New EU Rules
Rising heat in Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Pakistan jeopardizes garment workers’ safety, with “wet-bulb” temperatures exceeding safe thresholds 42% more often than before. New EU laws demand multinational brands address these risks by improving factory cooling systems and worker protections.
Read MoreBetter Cotton Pakistan Partners Sign Memorandum to Boost Sustainable Cotton Production
Better Cotton Pakistan has signed a "Memorandum of Understanding" with a local manufacturing giant and the Central Cotton Research Institute. Over the next 3 years, the Mahmood Group will fund the training to support 8,000 farmers in promoting sustainable cotton production in Pakistan. The partnership aims to rebuild Pakistan's cotton sector, after it suffered from floods.
Read MoreAfter years of pressure Levi’s commits to protecting workers in Pakistan
Denim giant Levi’s Strauss has signed a binding agreement to ensure that garment workers making its jeans in Pakistan will finally be able to go to work without having to fear for their lives.
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