Asia-Pacific Should Act as One Textile Market, Says Atif Ikram Sheikh
Atif Ikram Sheikh calls for stronger regional cooperation in the Asia-Pacific textile industry.
FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh has called for a joint Asia-Pacific textile strategy to strengthen regional competitiveness and expand the industry’s share of global markets.
He made the remarks while presenting Pakistan’s perspective at a CACCI webinar titled “Textile Industry in Asia Pacific Region: Opportunities, Challenges and Way Forward.” The Asia Textile and Garment Council, chaired by FPCCI, organized the session.
Representatives from 28 CACCI member chambers joined the webinar. The Director General of CACCI also attended the session. Atif Ikram Sheikh thanked the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry for co-organizing the event.
Asia-Pacific Textile Market
The global textile market is projected to grow from US$2.12 trillion in 2025 to US$4.27 trillion by 2035, according to the figures presented during the webinar.
Asia-Pacific currently accounts for about 53% of the global market. The regional market could grow from US$1.14 trillion to US$2.33 trillion over the same period.
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Around 100 million people work in the textile sector worldwide. That figure rises to about 430 million when the wider fashion and apparel sector is included. The industry also contributes around 2% to global GDP.
China alone accounts for about 32% of global textile exports.
Pakistan’s Textile Strengths
Textiles remain a backbone of Pakistan’s economy and account for around 60% of national exports.
Pakistan recorded textile exports of US$17.88 billion. The sector also contributes 24.2% of industrial value addition and 40% of industrial employment.
Pakistan ranks as the eighth-largest textile exporter in Asia. It is also the third-largest yarn producer, fifth-largest cotton producer and fourth-largest cotton consumer.
The country has an integrated textile value chain that extends from cotton production to finished garments. Several incentives support the sector, including duty-free machinery imports and lower tariffs on raw materials.
Other measures include GSP+ access to the European Union, zero-duty access to China, Duty Drawback and the Long-Term Financing Facility at concessional rates.
Regional Cooperation and Innovation
Pakistan’s geographical position could support stronger trade links with Central Asia, the Gulf and the Far East.
CPEC connectivity and expanding road and rail corridors also offer links with Türkiye and Central Asia through Iran.
The FPCCI president called on Asia-Pacific economies to combine competition with greater regional cooperation. He proposed a joint strategy to expand textile exports to the European Union, Africa and US markets.
Future competitiveness, he said, will increasingly depend on sustainability and technological innovation. Digital traceability and AI-enabled product development will also play a growing role.
Cross-border investment and international branding could further strengthen the region’s position in global markets.
Untapped Export Potential
Pakistan and other regional economies have significant untapped potential in apparel, home textiles, ready-made garments and industrial textiles.
Stronger regional value chains could help companies expand their international presence. More business-to-business partnerships could also create new opportunities for manufacturers and exporters.
The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer session. Representatives of CACCI member chambers raised questions about supply-chain transparency, regulatory compliance, GSP+ and regional value-chain development.
Atif Ikram Sheikh responded to the questions and appreciated CACCI leadership and its Secretariat for providing a platform to discuss the future of the Asia-Pacific textile industry.
