Ariel photo of textile workers in a factory in Madagascar.

Textiles, clothing, leather and footwear sector

Textile workers in a free zone in Antananarivo. © ILO

The sector is characterized by geographically dispersed production and dynamic market-driven transformations. It contributes significantly to economic and social development and provides employment opportunities to millions of workers worldwide, especially young women. 

The future of work in textiles, clothing, leather and footwear is increasingly uncertain.  The tragedy of the Rana Plaza collapse brought worldwide attention to the urgent need to improve workplace safety and working conditions in line with the ILO Code of practice on safety and health in textiles, clothing, leather and footwear. A just transition is key to advancing sustainability, circularity and decent work in the sector.

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Icon of textiles sector
Code of practice

Code of practice

The purpose of this code is to provide practical guidance for the use of all those, both in the public and private sectors, who have obligations, responsibilities, duties and rights regarding safety and health in the textiles, clothing, leather and footwear industries.

Programmes and projects

The Better Work Programme
Better Work programme logo

Joint ILO IFC programme

The Better Work Programme

Vision Zero Fund
Vision Zero Fund (Black logo)

Safety and Health for All

Vision Zero Fund

Supply chains for a sustainable future of work
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Supply chains for a sustainable future of work

Sustainable supply chains to build forward better
Sustainable supply chains to build forward better - Logo

Sustainable supply chains to build forward better

Advancing Decent Work and inclusive industrialization in Ethiopia
Woman entrepreneur with a  a hearing impairment at work, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Advancing Decent Work and inclusive industrialization in Ethiopia

Meetings and events

Towards a More Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Garment and Textiles Sector in Asia and the Pacific

Virtual, 18-20 October 2021

Towards a More Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Garment and Textiles Sector in Asia and the Pacific

Meeting of Experts to discuss and adopt a code of practice on safety and health in textiles, clothing, leather and footwear

Geneva, 4-8 October 2021

Meeting of Experts to discuss and adopt a code of practice on safety and health in textiles, clothing, leather and footwear

Global Dialogue Forum on Wages and Working Hours in the Textiles, Clothing, Leather and Footwear Industries

Geneva, 23-25 September 2014

Global Dialogue Forum on Wages and Working Hours in the Textiles, Clothing, Leather and Footwear Industries

News

Enhancing labour inspection in Kenya through tailored labour inspection tool kits
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Labour inspection tool kit in Kenya

Enhancing labour inspection in Kenya through tailored labour inspection tool kits

"(If not for the program), it would have been hard as I would not be able to feed my kids and pay my rent" - Meseret, Ethiopia
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"(If not for the program), it would have been hard as I would not be able to feed my kids and pay my rent" - Meseret, Ethiopia

Generating evidence and informing policy – The SCORE approach to productivity and competitiveness.
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Generating evidence and informing policy – The SCORE approach to productivity and competitiveness.

All publications

Challenges and opportunities to advance decent work in five countries and supply chains: A synthesis report

Challenges and opportunities to advance decent work in five countries and supply chains: A synthesis report

Study on decent work in the textile and clothing industry in Madagascar

Supply chains

Study on decent work in the textile and clothing industry in Madagascar

Learning from Crisis: Apparel industry experts on mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic and future crisis

Learning from Crisis: Apparel industry experts on mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic and future crisis

Training programmes

Training of the Code of practice on safety and health in textiles, clothing, leather and footwear

Training of the Code of practice on safety and health in textiles, clothing, leather and footwear

The Better Work Academy

The Better Work Academy

ILO | Training Programmes / Factory Improvement Toolset (FIT)

ILO | Training Programmes / Factory Improvement Toolset (FIT)