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The map below provides information of the global garment industry, focusing on the brands

Adidas and H&M

The 21st century has been characterized by the rapid growth of the global garment industry. According to a McKenzie analysis, from 2000 to 2014 clothing production doubled, while the number of garments purchased each year by the average consumer increased by 60%.

The growth in the industry can be understood with the emergence of Fast Fashion. A term used to describe when production cycles are compressed and design outputs are available on a fast pace. Thus, it enables shoppers to expand their wardrobes and refresh them quickly.

The need for fast production causes firms in the developed world to seek to keep costs low and production levels high. Thus, brands outsource their garment production to manufacturing factories in developing countries. However, as manufacturing industries do provide employment and investment to countries, competition requires for “poorer countries to offer the cheapest workers and the most unregulated conditions”. Furthermore, inequality of this industry can be seen throughout the garment chain, where high-value activities are concentrated in high-income countries and low-value activities happen in developing countries.

The aim is to provide you a visual understanding of the inequalities of the industry with the use of a friendly informational platform.

Production

Adidas

H&M

    *Source: Annual Repots from Adidas and H&M (2019)

Global Garment Industry

Textile and Clothing Manufactures Exporters - WTO

Textile and Clothing Manufactures Importers - WTO

Research & Development - World Bank

Manufacturing Industry (% in GDP) Textiles and Clothing (% in Manufacturing) - World Bank

Working Conditions

Minimum Wages (ILO) and Hourly Earnings per occupation - ILO

Union Membership (% of workers) - ILO

About this map

The map has four main sections:

    Production section: There is information available on Adidas and H&M suppliers (manufacturing factories), number of workers and number of female workers in each factory. You can click on each point to get information of each supplier.
    The Global Garment Industry section: By clicking on the buttons it is possible to have visual datasets that provide information about the main actors in the industry. You can contrast them with the brands' information. Additionally, it is possible to understand the dependence of countries on the manufacturing industry, while others are able to invest a percentage of their GDP on Reseach and Development. You can click on the polygons for information of each country.
    Working Conditions section: Provides information about the minimum wages, union membership and hourly earnings from each country. These datasets can be contrasted with the brands' suppliers and workers information. Thus, it is possible to observe countries' working conditions, where some of the brands' manufacturing factories are. You can click on the polygons for information of each country.
    Bottom section: Finally, this section provides a close-up to the main exporting and importing countries, as well as the main suppliers for each brand.

Important Note

Please note that occupations were selected in accordance to the International Standard Classification of Occupations 2008 (ISCO-08) from ILO. ISCO-08 provides a system for classifying and aggregating occupational information obtained by means of statistical censuses and surveys, as well as from administrative records. Categories were selected where workers from the garment industry are included.

Method-1
1. Managers
Method-2
2. Professionals
Method-3
3. Craft & Trade Workers
Mountains
4. Plant and Machine Operators
    Managers group: Sales, Marketing and Development Managers are included in this section. Managers plan, direct, coordinate and evaluate the overall activities of enterprises, governments and other organizations, or of organizational units within them, and formulate and review their policies, laws, rules and regulations
    Professionals group: Product and garment designers are included. Product and garment designers design and develop products for manufacture and prepare designs and specifications of products for mass, batch and one-off production.
    Carft and Trade Workers group: Garment and related patternmakers and cutters are included. These create precision master patterns for the production of garments and other textile, leather or fur products. They mark, cut, shape and trim textiles, light leather and other materials according to blueprints or specifications in the manufacture of garments, hats and caps, gloves and miscellaneous products
    Plant and Machine Operators and Assemblers group: These include Textile, Fur and Leather Products Machine Operators. Textile, fur and leather products machine operators monitor and operate various types of machines which prepare, process and treat fibres, yarn, thread, leather or fur; produce, modify and repair footwear and garments; and manufacture textiles, fur or light leather articles. Tasks performed usually include: operating and monitoring weaving and knitting machines which process yarn or thread into woven, non-woven and knitted products; operating and monitoring machines which prepare fibres, and spin, double, twist and wind yarn and thread from natural textile fibres.
    For more information on ISCO-08

Data Collection

  • The World Trade Organization Database Inventory
  • ILOSTAT
  • World Bank Open Data
  • H&M and Adidas annual reports