During the “Seminar on the Apparel Industry and Economic Development in the Caribbean”, held in Bridgetown, Barbados, participants analyzed the problems faced by the SMEs sector in the Caribbean, particularly those micro-enterprises working in the fashion and apparel sectors, identifying several niches with a high potential for these Caribbean businesses to develop (clothes for men and women, wedding dresses, accessories and upholstery). In addition, the seminar also examined the increased activity of this sector in the Brazilian, Mexican and African markets, which has rapidly emerged within the textile industry and has attracted several international high fashion brands to different countries of the region.

Among the main conclusions and recommendations of the seminar held in Barbados, experts and representatives pointed to the need to promote the development of a fashion industry with potential for global marketing; change strategies in terms of the use and adoption of the sectoral method to reposition the sector with a key focus on the capacity of designers and manufacturers to create partnerships; and design a single identity for selling brands. Furthermore, they made a recommendation to promote the establishment of national associations and a Regional Association of fashion designers, and they stressed that the revival of cotton cultivation in Barbados must be supported by the public sector.

The textile industry has always been a very active sector in the global economy. In particular, the fashion design industry has recorded an increase of US$ 1.7 trillion in 2012, employing about 75 million people worldwide.

The CARICOM countries have remained on the margins of the industrial sector of fashion design, and their products have not yet been able to enter international markets in a significant way. However, there are numerous SMEs, particularly micro-enterprises, engaged in the apparel industry and in fashion design.

In this connection, based on the recommendations arising from the meeting in Barbados, the Permanent Secretariat has considered the possibility of conducting a second seminar on the implementation and development of programmes related to partnerships in the apparel and fashion industry in the Caribbean, primarily focused on coordination mechanisms for enterprises in the textile sector, particularly micro-entrepreneurs. The meeting – to be organized by the Permanent Secretariat together with the countries of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) – would analyze and promote partnerships among companies in the textile sector in the OECS region and the Caribbean as a whole.