SYDNEY: The man charged with leading the turn around of Australia's textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) industry has issued a missive urging Australians not to turn their back on the sector.
Professor Roy Green, who was appointed head of the federal government's recent TCF Review, argued those disillusioned by the controversial closure of domestic manufacturing by Pacific Brands to retain some perspective.
While the Victorian-headquartered company would no longer be manufacturing in Australia, it would still retain most of its employed workforce, he said.
"TCF remains a vibrant and in some area growing sector of the Australian economy, and it would not only be a mistake to write it off but it would deny us opportunities for competitive advantage here and internationally based on design, branding, uniqueness and quick response."
In his report titled Innovation in Textiles and Fashion Green, also UTS' faculty of business dean, said while the value of output had fallen in the TCF industries in recent years, it still accounted for $2.8 billion of production in Australia with $1.6 billion in exports.
Success in manufacturing would depend increasingly on linkages to design and innovation, to global supply chains and to rapidly changing consumer markets, he said.
The government response made to recommendations made in Green's report is likely to be announced in the May budget.