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Introduction: The Dynamism of the Garment Industry in Low-income Countries

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The Garment Industry in Low-Income Countries

Part of the book series: IDE-JETRO Series ((IDE))

Abstract

Historically, many countries began their process of industrialization through focusing on labor-intensive industries, typically the textile industry. This industry was at the forefront of industries leading the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom from the mid-eighteenth to the mid-nineteenth centuries (Clark 2007; Mokyr 1990). Japan is another nation that exploited the labor-intensive nature of the textile industry to promote industrialization and the absorption of the country’s abundant labor (Ito 1992; Lockwood 1954). The Industrial Revolution and subsequent technical progress turned the textile industry’s upstream processes into capital-intensive activities. Thus, spinning, weaving, and dyeing processes became increasingly machine-dependent and capital intensive, whereas downstream processes, particularly sewing, have remained labor intensive even up to the present day.

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Authors
  1. Takahiro Fukunishi
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  2. Tatsufumi Yamagata
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Developing Economies, Japan

    Takahiro Fukunishi (Associate Senior Research Fellow) (Associate Senior Research Fellow)

  2. Institute of Developing Economies Advanced School, Japan External Trade Organization, Japan

    Tatsufumi Yamagata (Professor and Secretary General) (Professor and Secretary General)

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© 2014 IDE-JETRO

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Fukunishi, T., Yamagata, T. (2014). Introduction: The Dynamism of the Garment Industry in Low-income Countries. In: Fukunishi, T., Yamagata, T. (eds) The Garment Industry in Low-Income Countries. IDE-JETRO Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137383181_1

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