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WORLD PRODUCTION OF NATURAL FIBRES
source: www.marketresearch.com
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The textile and clothing sector has been subject to a series of radical transformations over the last years… - due to a combination of technological changes, evolution of the different production costs, and the emergence of important international competitors, Western industries had to revise their strategies;
- in 2004, output of natural fibres rose by a remarkable 21.7% - more than 4 times the 4.9% increase registered in 2003. As a result, and unusually, the share of natural fibres increased from 40.4% to 43.1%;
- the rise in natural fibre production was driven by a staggering 23.2% increase in cotton output - following a 4.6% rise in 2003 - as growers were encouraged by higher prices;
- but the wool clip continued to fall. Competitions from man-made fibres and concerns over stocks have also kept down wool prices. Currently, global demand for wool fibre is being sustained largely by consumption in China. Elsewhere, consumption is being depressed by the restructuring of the textile industries in industrialised countries.
World production of natural* fibres (‘000 tons)
| Year | Cotton | Wool | Silk | TOTAL | ± in % | | 2002 | 21.069 | 1.304 | 90 | 22.463 | 2,2% | | 2000 | 20.077 | 1.342 | 85 | 21.504 | 1,1% | | 1990 | 19.406 | 1.988 | 66 | 21.460 | 0,2% | | 1980 | 13.575 | 1.599 | 53 | 15.227 | 2,7% | | 1970 | 11.784 | 1.659 | 41 | 13.484 | 0,1% | | 1960 | 10.113 | 1.463 | 31 | 11.607 | 4,2% | | 1950 | 6.647 | 1.057 | 19 | 7.723 | n/a |
* Ramie, flax, hemp, jute, sisal and coir not included
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