Ready-to-wear apparel has become a large industry in a number of developing countries. These countries are able to manufacture the apparel both for domestic consumption as well as for export. Recent years have seen particular advancement in the ready-to-wear apparel segments in Asia. This research focuses on this industry within Pakistan, with emphasis on how the industry has grown and what the near future holds for the industry.
The garment industry in Pakistan produces mainly cotton and cotton blended skirts, T-shirts, uniforms, shirts and blouses. Production is generally undertaken on a piecework system with one person responsible for an entire garment, except for the cutting. Some large-scale operations (of which there are few in the country) use an assembly system in which more than one individual is responsible for a single garment. The country's ready-made garment industry came into its own during the 1970s, and has taken an export stance since that time. However, domestic consumption has increased during the last 20 years, and domestic consumption of ready-made garments now accounts for 80 percent of total production, compared with only 68 percent in 1986 and 25 percent in 1982 ("Demand Forecast," 1990, p. 25). The Pakistani government, while encouraging growth of domestic consumption, continues to emphasize the importance of maintaining a strong export stance within the ready-made garment industry. Such a stance enhances the country's ability to compete on a global basis, and also strengthens the market as a whole. The following chart illustrates the growth of the domestic market within the ready-made garment industry ("Demand Forecast," 1990, p. 25):
The increase in domestic consumption of ready-made garments is due to the popularity of cotton blends, particularly in the urban areas. The blended garments last longer than strictly cotton clothing, but they are commensurably expensive. It is in the urban areas...