Textiles and Apparel Sector
Exports figures show the international acceptance of Colombian products. According to data from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism (MCIT) and Dane, in 2011 Colombia exported a total $1.408 million USD, a sum that represents an 8% growth vs. 2010.
The industry’s experience is another important reason for its growth. Over the course of more than 100 years, textile manufacturers have continuously developed new products with innovative finishings and processes. Furthermore, the sector’s companies have the capacity for both production and new developments.
In the clothing sector, Colombia has become a front-runner in undergarments and swimwear. However, the clothing offer also includes control garments, children’s clothing, sportswear, loungewear, and jeanswear.
In terms of footwear, this industry has a long, technology-oriented trajectory, and is strong in casual, formal, children’s, and safety footwear.
Regarding leather manufacturing, design is the main differentiating factor in wallets, small-sized leather goods, and belts.
And in jewelry and bijouterie, Colombia’s offer ranges from large-scale production lines to unique pieces in different materials like gold, silver, emerald, semi-precious stones, and seeds.
The Textiles and Apparel Sector in Colombia offers the following advantages:
- Variety: knits and woven production, outerwear and underwear, swimsuits and beachwear, jeans wear, sportswear and home textile
- Flexible production and fast reaction product lines: Minimum quantities can be adjusted to customer’s needs depending on each company’s policies
- Apparel and Ready-to-wear products: United States has been Colombia´s main market for apparel, textiles and ready-to-wear products since the late 20th century.
- Other benefits: high quality products, social responsible companies, high knowledge and technology in garment and textile production, fashionable design and vertical integration within the sector.
The FTA allows:
- 0% duty on goods like Jeans wear and includes new tariff reductions by eliminating duties in products like footwear (duties were significantly high at 48%).
- More than 1.600 products that may enter the US market with 0% tariff: 93% of the apparel-textile and ready to wear categories, 90% for leather manufacturing goods, 73% of footwear and 76% of leather categories, will enter the American market with no duty.
9 Significant Changes:
|
Product |
Exports to the World 2010 |
Exports from Colombia to |
BEFORE FTA |
AFTER FTA |
|
LINGERIE |
53 |
5% |
16,9% |
0% |
|
UNDERWEAR |
23 |
43% |
7,4% |
0% |
|
SHAPEWEAR |
20 |
33% |
20% |
0% |
|
SWIMWEAR |
14 |
18% |
24,9% |
0% |
|
CASUAL WEAR |
5 |
26% |
28,6% |
0% |
|
LEATHER |
85 |
4% |
5% |
0% |
|
FOOTWEAR |
20 |
5% |
48% |
0% |
|
OTHER APPAREL |
34 |
2% |
14,9% |
0% |