KUWAIT'S TEXTILE AND APPAREL SECTOR: UPDATED

UNCLAS KUWAIT 003557 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE/EB/TPP/ABT THOMAS LERSTEN COMMERCE/ITA/OTEXA MARIA D'ANDREA USTR ABIOLA HEYLIGER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD KTEX KU SUBJECT: KUWAIT'S TEXTILE AND APPAREL SECTOR: UPDATED STATISTICS REF: STATE 138090 ¶1. Per Reftel request, Post compiled the most recent data available concerning Kuwait's textile industry from various GOK sources. The industry in Kuwait is very small and does not export significant amounts of textile product, nor does it employ large numbers of people. The vast majority of textiles produced are for local consumption, and much of the total value of production is comprised of added value from the custom tailoring of imported cloth. Most employees in the textile industry work as tailors. The most recent data available concerning the areas specified in Reftel are as follows: Total industrial production value in USD: $4.5 billion Total textiles and apparel production in USD: $262.5 million Textile/apparel share of host country imports: 5.59% Textile/apparel share of host country exports: 0.17% Exports in textiles and apparel to the United States in USD: $3.1 million Total manufacturing employment: 95,000 (estimated) Total textiles and apparel employment: 15,775 ******************************************** For more Embassy Kuwait reporting, see: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/cables Or Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ******************************************** Tueller