The apparel and textiles business comprises a wide variety of skills and industry sectors, from fashion designers to contract manufacturers, from basic textiles manufacturing to distributors. In addition, a large number of major retail store chains have a major influence on the apparel and fashions business. Rapid changes have taken place in apparel manufacturing in recent years. The vast majority of clothing sold in the most affluent nations, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, is manufactured in foreign lands—China in particular. Contract manufacturing and outsourcing is booming, and import/export trade issues continue to lead to heated debate.

This carefully-researched book and online Research Center (book versions includes a database of leading companies on CD-ROM) provide a complete apparel and textiles market research, business analysis and competitive intelligence tool-- everything you need to know about the business of apparel, textiles, fashions, design, clothing retailing and distribution, as well as manufacturing, technology and logistics including:

1. Clothing and fashion design and designers
2. Textile manufacturing, offshoring and outsourcing.
3. Clothing manufacturing, including apparel, shoes and accessories.
4. Globalization of the apparel and textiles industry, including contract manufacturing in such nations as China, Taiwan, Korea and the Dominican Republic.
5. Retail store chains in the fashion and apparel industry, including major department stores, shoe stores, clothing stores and specialty retailers.
6. The growing use of private label fashions (store brands) at major retailers.
7. Discount retailing of apparel at such chains as Wal-Mart and Kohl’s.
8. Growth in e-commerce sales of clothing and accessories.
9. Significant trends in clothing and fashions, including men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, shoes and accessories.
10. Global trade agreements, CAFTA, WTO.
11. The growing use of nanotechnology based textiles (nanotextiles and nanofabrics), and the use of smart fabrics.
12. Apparel industry technologies.
13. Clothing distribution logistics and direct-to-store inventory methods, use of RFID.
14. Apparel industry software.

You’ll find a complete overview, industry analysis and market research report in one superb, value-priced package. It contains thousands of contacts for business and industry leaders, industry associations, Internet sites and other resources. This book also includes statistical tables, an industry glossary and thorough indexes. The corporate profiles section of the book includes our proprietary, in-depth profiles of the 350 leading companies in all facets of the apparel, design, clothing, accessories, fabrics and textiles industry. Here you'll find complete profiles of the hot companies that are making news today, the largest, most successful corporations in the business. This data is available in printed almanac, eBook and online versions. Purchasers of either the book or PDF version can receive a free copy of the company profiles database on CD-ROM, enabling key word search and export of key information, addresses, phone numbers and executive names with titles for every company profiled.

"The work is clearly organized and accessible, as each chapter begins with a succinct summary of its contents…the Almanac achieves its goal, providing comprehensive industry and company research under one cover… The Plunkett guide deserves high marks."

American Reference Books Annual