U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

August 1995

Unraveling employment trends in textiles and apparel

Lauren A. Murray

Both of these industries continue to shed large numbers of workers; although textiles and apparel are closely related, the reasons for their job losses, and the prognosis for their future, differ. This article focuses on the employment trends in textiles and apparel over the past half century, with an emphasis on developments since the 1970's. The underlying causes of the protracted employment declines in each industry are examined and some of the issues that will affect future employment needs are discussed.

Download PDF »