New Zealand’s clothing, footwear, textile and carpet industries are niche-oriented providers of internationally marketable products. These sector groups are significant employers in New Zealand, with approximately 1,940 firms employing a total 17,610 people.

A five-year target strategy for this group sees component companies exporting $1000 million by 2008, with annual export growth averaging 12.6%. To accomplish that target, textile exports would have to reach $93 million, footwear exports $130 million, clothing exports $621 million, and carpet exports $168 million.

Clothing manufacturing is the biggest activity within these four sectors, employing 7,920 full-time equivalent employees in 962 firms. Carpet and textile manufacturing employs 7,400 full-time equivalent employees in 702 firms. Footwear employs 830 full-time equivalent employees in 48 firms.

In 2001 the textile, clothing, footwear and carpet industries together exported $385 million. The export growth of these industries has climbed at an average rate of 8.34 percent per annum in recent years, and future growth in the sector represents a major economic opportunity for New Zealand.