Sourcing Practices in the Apparel Industry Implications for Garment Exporters in Commonwealth Developing Countries

Sourcing practices in the global apparel industry are changing due to the removal of quotas, new trade agreements and drive by apparel importers to lower costs. This study addresses the implications of these changes for garment manufacturers in Commonwealth developing countries. The principal research activities consisted of face-to-face interviews in North America with top sourcing executives of apparel importing companies and senior executives of apparel manufacturing companies and other stakeholders in six Commonwealth countries. The findings indicate that almost without exception apparel manufacturers are struggling to lower costs and to increase productivity so as to remain competitive. Government and industry are thus faced with critical decisions on how best to support the apparel industry in their respective countries. The principal outputs of the study are enterprise level guidelines to remain competitive in the face of evolving sourcing policies, technology and practices, complemented by related frameworks at government and institutional levels.