Fashion and Apparel

In the face of foreign competition, the future of the apparel industry is unclear. Employment in the domestic apparel industry has declined dramatically in recent years as foreign companies have become able to produce goods less expensively than the United States. Changing trade regulations are the most significant factor in this decline. In 2005, the World Trade Organization lifted quotas for apparel and textile products that have prompted U.S. retailers to import greater quantities of apparel that is made in foreign countries with less expensive labor. In addition, domestic production has continued to move abroad, causing further employment decline for apparel workers in the United States.