Swiss Textile Exports Decline

The global economic crisis has seriously affected the Swiss textile industry.

Supplement:

Textiles and clothing have been China's main exports to Switzerland for many years.

At present, some European countries demand China.

1. Swiss textile and garment industry and textiles and garments.

In 2004, the total imports of textiles and clothing in Switzerland amounted to 7 billion 475 million Swiss francs.

Among them, textiles 2 billion 131 million Swiss francs, clothing 5 billion 423 million Swiss francs.

In imported garments, 4 billion 307 million Swiss francs accounted for 79%, underwear 753 million Swiss francs, 14%, and garment accessories 362 million Swiss francs, accounting for 7%.

It can be seen that in the past eight years, Switzerland's clothing imports showed an increasing trend, and textile imports showed a downward trend.

In the face of increasingly fierce competition, the Swiss textile and garment industry has constantly adjusted its production structure, reduced production capacity or pferred production lines to developing countries, resulting in a decline in processing and production capacity of textiles and clothing, resulting in a reduction in imports of textile materials.

The decline in garment production capacity plus clothing consumption has led to an increase in imports.

Switzerland was once a strong textile country, and the textile industry was one of the oldest industrial sectors in Switzerland.

It has been more than 200 years since the introduction of modern spinning machines from St Gallen in 1801.

From the end of the nineteenth Century to the beginning of twentieth Century, before the first World War, it was the heyday of the development of the Swiss textile industry.

The textile industry has made great contributions to the development and prosperity of the Swiss economy in history.

The development of Swiss textile industry not only promoted the textile machinery industry, but also promoted the development of chemical industry.

At present, the Swiss textile and garment industry employs 185 thousand (including part-time employees), and the number of employees is decreasing year by year.

The Swiss textile industry is mainly concentrated in the northeastern part of Switzerland; the clothing industry is mainly concentrated in the Italian speaking area of chitno.

In order to avoid competition and conflict with products from developing countries, the existing Swiss textile and garment industry is developing towards capital intensive and technology intensive, improving the added value and competitiveness of products.

The Swiss textile and garment industry is an export-oriented industry, the fourth largest export industry after Switzerland.

Judging from the balance of trade, the clothing industry has a huge deficit.

There was a slight surplus in the textile industry and a deficit since 2003.

Two, consumption and characteristics of Swiss textile and apparel

In 2003, the Swiss apparel market sales amounted to 5 billion 802 million Swiss francs, and more than 90% came from imports.

According to the Statistics Bureau of Swiss Confederation, the average monthly household expenditure on textiles and clothing in Switzerland is 261 Swiss francs, accounting for 3.3% of the total household expenditure.

The Swiss textile and apparel market has been relatively stable. Over the past ten years from 1990 to 2002, the price of textiles and clothing in Switzerland has risen by 4.8%, the lowest price increase in all consumer goods.

Over the same period, the total household expenditure in Switzerland increased by 7.5%.

Generally speaking, the Swiss have a strong consumption ability. They are careful in wearing but not demanding. They are very popular in Switzerland for their fabric, texture and natural fabrics such as cotton, wool, linen and silk.

Swiss people pay attention to the quality of life, and require higher environmental standards for home textiles.

Towels and bedding are of high quality and variety.

Swiss textile and clothing sales stores mainly include: C&A, H&M and other international chain stores, as well as V-gele and other Swiss local chain stores. The world famous clothing brands basically have stores in Switzerland.

Three, China's export of Swiss textiles and garments, problems and suggestions

China is the eighth largest supplier of Swiss textiles to Germany, Italy, Austria, France, Hollywood, Belgium and the United States. The third largest supplier of clothing is Germany and Italy.

The EU is the most important source of imports for textiles and clothing in Switzerland.

According to Swiss Confederation customs statistics, in 2004, China exported 55 million 720 thousand Swiss francs to Swiss textiles, 519 million Swiss francs, which accounted for 2.6% and 9.6% of Swiss textile and clothing imports respectively.

Over the years, textiles and clothing have been the main commodities for China's exports to Switzerland.

In the statistics of Chinese customs, textile and clothing are still the first category of China's exports to Switzerland (in the statistics of Swiss Confederation customs, China's mechanical and electrical products have surpassed textiles and clothing, becoming China's largest export commodity to Switzerland, and textile and clothing second).

It should be noted that the share of Chinese products in Switzerland's imports of textiles and clothing is still small, which is not commensurate with the status of China's textile and garment producing countries.

Textile and apparel trade between China and Switzerland has strong complementarity, and textile and garment exports still have potential in Switzerland.

(a) the Swiss government's basic attitude towards China's textiles and clothing; Marie-GabrielleIneichen-Fleisch, director of the Department of foreign economic affairs of WTO, OECD and public market director of the Swiss general administration of foreign affairs, should write to China's business office in Switzerland: "Switzerland believes that China has better fulfilled its commitments in WTO, and there is no barrier to bilateral trade in Sino Swiss textiles and clothing. Switzerland does not set any restrictions on imports of Chinese textiles and clothing."

Swiss Textile Association said Switzerland has never used anti-dumping, special safeguard clauses and other measures.

The Swiss Textile Association expressed its concern and appreciation for China's textile export tariffs and other measures since 2005.

After the integration of textile trade in January 1, 2005, many countries raised their trade protectionist forces against Chinese textiles and clothing. Some countries exaggerated the export capacity of Chinese textiles and clothing, and began or were prepared to set up trade barriers, such as special protection, which brought uncertainties to the export of Chinese textiles and clothing.

At present, some European countries call for restrictions on Chinese textiles and clothing, and Chinese textile and clothing can still be in Switzerland. It should be said that China is in a stable and favorable environment for Swiss textiles and clothing.

(two), problems and suggestions

1, the "animal protection" measures of some Swiss groups and businesses affect China's export of Swiss fur clothing.

At present, some developed countries take advantage of the advantages and influence of culture, traditional customs and so on. They use animal protection act as a barrier to prevent the import of animal derived commodities from developing countries, and link animal welfare with international trade to form a special trade barrier -- animal welfare (protection) barriers.

The Swiss government has not yet taken restrictive measures on animal fur clothing in China. However, some non-governmental organizations such as animal protection organizations and fur professional associations in Switzerland have taken some measures against animal fur and clothing in China, which have had a certain impact on the export of Chinese fur garments.

The "animal protection" action of the Swiss animal protection organization is not specifically targeted at China. At the beginning of this year, the Swiss animal protection organization took action several times against Canadian slaughtered seals for seal skin.

2, some Swiss dealers have repeatedly criticized China's textile and garment enterprises in the name of "human rights checking factories".

Migros, H&M and other dealers regularly conduct field visits to Chinese manufacturers to understand factory production conditions, workers' working environment, working hours, wages and other labor and social standards, that is, the so-called "human rights check factory".

"Human rights inspection" mainly focuses on textile, clothing, toys and other labor-intensive enterprises in developing countries such as China and India.

According to the Migros group, recent surveys have been unsatisfactory.

But now the attitude of the Migros group has eased up. Migros group said that in the face of such a big textile and clothing country like China, the resistance of Swiss sellers was useless. Therefore, Migros group is willing to strengthen dialogue and communication with Chinese manufacturers and even help.

3, the comprehensive competitiveness of China's textile and clothing needs to be improved.

China's textile and apparel industry should focus on improving product quality and technology content, avoiding competing prices and increasing prices.

Swiss consumers especially love green and environment-friendly textiles. Oeko-TexStandard100 certification has evolved from the initial market competitive advantage to a basic condition in Europe, especially in the German speaking area.

The Swiss H&M store claims that its clothing, especially underwear and children's clothing, is mostly certified by Oeko-TexStandard100.

4, China's textiles and clothing are still fixed, OEM, and lack of independent brands.

Similarly, the price of French clothing is 3 times higher than that of Chinese clothing.

Brand building is an insurmountable step for China's textile and garment industry to become bigger and stronger and occupy the international and Swiss market.

Now, the Swiss media has more and more positive reports on China's economy and Chinese products.

Recently, Swiss TV broadcast a documentary to introduce Zhejiang Ningbo YOUNGOR group, China's largest clothing manufacturer.

The author believes that there is a certain foundation for the promotion of top brands of Chinese clothing in Switzerland and even the establishment of exclusive stores.