Fighting Over Fabrics: The Textile Wars and the Politics of Free Trade

Since the rise of Hong Kong as a major garment exporter almost half a century ago, comparative advantage in textile production has been shifting to the developing world. Developed countries have resisted this movement for decades, using multilateral agreements to establish quotas on textile imports. On January 1, 2005, the quota system formally ended. But even without quotas, the textile wars continue: both the United States and European Union have imposed new safeguards against imports from China, which is quickly emerging as the dominant, low-cost textile producer in the world.

Fighting over Fabrics: The Textile Wars and the Politics of Free Trade outlines the recent history of the global textile industry, the response to the elimination of quotas and the dramatic restructuring that is now taking place. It argues that American and EU safeguards will slow, but not derail, the movement toward freer trade in textiles and clothing.