THE EVOLUTION OF THE FRENCH TEXTILE AND CLOTHING INDUSTRY IN RECENT YEARS

Textiles and clothing are still an important sector of the French economy. The development of textiles and clothing as a whole has been unfavorable in recent years; production has fallen because imports have greatly increased. French producers are often not competitive in capital-intensive activites and low-price products. The ratio of investment to sales has not been high enough, and it has been difficult for French manufacturers to adapt themselves to new trends appearing in clothing markets. The situation inside the textile network is very different from one branch to another; the knitting industry is faced with an enormous foreign-trade deficit; the manufacture of luxury clothing is prospering; wool combing, sewing-thread manufacture, and lace-weaving remain efficient. These are some of the facts giving hope for the future. Furthermore, the largest French companies have undeniably internationalized their activities. Many firms are coming into the clothing industry. Industrial-textile production is growing strongly.