Textiles and Clothing Cluster - Communauté métropolitaine de

Transcription

Textiles and Clothing Cluster
October 2004
Textiles and Clothing Cluster
Fabric and Products
Clothing and Fashion
#XGENCRCTVKEKRCVKQPFG
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/KPKUVpTGFW&oXGNQRRGOGPVoEQPQOKSWGFGN¨+PPQXCVKQPGVFGN¨'ZRQTVCVKQP
ISBN
ISBN2-923013-31-X
2-923013-25-5
(French
(French edition
edition ISBN
ISBN 2-923013-30-1)
2-923013-24-7 )
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March 2005
2005
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National library
Canada
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All rights reserved for all countries.
The content may not be copied in any way or translated in whole or in part
The content may not be copied in any way or translated in whole or in part without the permission of the
without
the permission
of the Communauté
Communauté
métropolitaine
de Montréal. métropolitaine de Montréal
Note to the reader
Through its Economic Development Plan, the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM),
has adopted a competitiveness strategy centred on dynamic and innovative business clusters. In
the fall 2003, the CMM launched a cluster identification program for metropolitan Montreal.
This marked the first phase of a process leading to the development and launch of an integrated
economic development and innovation strategy.
For each of the sectors studied, the CMM wishes to join forces with all the territorial bodies and
economic stakeholders concerned. It means to concentrate its efforts on its own role of planning
and coordination and does not intend to take the place of existing players and decision-makers
in the field, whose role it is to agree on a development plan under the supervision of a relay
organization representing their sector.
This document is divided into two distinct sections:
• The first section presents a configuration of the Textiles and Clothing Cluster
• The second section groups together the ideas of the main players of that particular cluster and
their thoughts on future development.
The cluster configuration was based on documentary research confirmed by stakeholders in the
cluster itself. Comments were then made by industry officials in the ministries concerned. This
first section describes the value chain of the cluster and goes on to identify the organizations or
infrastructure contributing to its development. Finally, as economic development transcends
administrative or political borders, potential links with other regions of Quebec are indicated,
taking into account the niches of excellence developed by certain regions under the ACCORD
(Action concertée régionale de développement) program.
While the first section of the document is inherently factual, the second is more subjective, since
it reflects the perceptions of the main players in each cluster. These thoughts were gathered in the
strictest confidence so as to produce a maximum amount of data. They are focused on two main
themes, the state of relational assets and growth strategies. Since we know that relationships
between stakeholders are the first source of innovation, it is necessary to identify the relational
flow between the various components of the cluster. In the same way, in order to set priorities, we
need to know which strategies for growth are favoured by the players in the field.
This document is thus intended as a catalyst for priority actions aiming to energize the strategic
process of the cluster and to give direction to its innovative thrust. The process will be carried out
in a spirit of openness and dialogue which will eventually enable the Montreal metropolitan area
to assert its distinctive capabilities among the world’s most innovative and prosperous cities.
Michel Lefèvre
Consultant – Economic Development
Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal
Textiles and Clothing •
Services
7
A Competition Cluster
Fabric and Products / Necessary Adaptation
16
Industrial Chain
Raw Materials 18
Converting and Finishing
22
Textile Materials 20
Textile Products
23
Research 27
Structuring Organizations
30
Financing 28
Consultants
31
Training
29
Configuration
Development Factors
Clothing and Fashion / Montréal, Fashion Capital
33
Industrial Chain
Clothing Manufacture 35
Related Sectors
37
Leather and Fur 36
Fashion and Distribution
38
Research, Training
44
Agencies and Promotion
46
Financing, Associations
45
Technical Textiles
49
Development Factors
Assessment and Outlook
Increasing Complexity
48
Interregional Links
54
Elsewhere in Quebec
Perceptions
Strategic Elements
59
Challenges of Globalization
Relational Assets
64
Breaking Down Barriers
Avenues for Growth
68
Two Segments, Two Speeds
Appendices
Sources
72
Individuals Consulted
73
Credits
74
A Competition Cluster
There are several reasons why the Textiles and Clothing cluster can be considered as a competition
cluster. First is the significance of this sector within the manufacturing industry of the Montreal
metropolitan area. It accounts for close to 40,000 manufacturing jobs, around 20% of the total
for Greater Montreal. It is therefore one of the largest manufacturing sectors in the metropolitan
region.
It should also be noted that Montreal has the largest concentration of jobs in textile and clothing
in Canada and one of the largest in North America. No less than 35% of all jobs in Canada’s
textile and clothing industry are situated on CMM territory. Montreal is even considered to be
the third largest centre for the clothing industry in North America, after Los Angeles and New
York.
Fierce competition
It is important to underline that what sets the Textiles and Clothing cluster apart from the other
competition clusters on CMM territory is the level of competition on the world market. In a cluster
such as Aerospace, local aircraft manufacturers only have three or four serious international
competitors. In Textiles and Clothing, there are many competitors. Practically every country has
developed a competitive industry in this field.
Furthermore, since these sectors are labour-intensive, countries whose labour costs are lower are
at a clear advantage. China’s recent signing of the WTO agreements and the gradual breakdown of
economic barriers have had a considerable impact on the local textile industry. Price competition
is no longer even an option for local manufacturers, who must increasingly turn towards research,
design and the integration of new technologies.
Under-estimated potential
Nevertheless, just at the time when this cluster is being completely restructured and is in need of
new investment, the economic decision-makers seem to be turning their backs on it. Its potential
is under-estimated both in the Montreal metropolitan region and province-wide. With the
economic growth of the 1990s, attributed primarily to the new economy, traditional industries
such as Textiles and Clothing have been relegated to secondary importance.
Despite the negative indicators, however, these industries also experienced considerable growth
during the 1990s, buoyed mainly by the explosion of exports to the United States. General disdain
for the sector is a significant factor hampering its development. This attitude has led to a loss of
interest not only among investors, but also among workers, who prefer to reorient towards other
more valued sectors, which causes hiring problems.
Considering the widespread nature of its processes and the diversity of its products, the Textiles
and Clothing cluster is also one of the most complex manufacturing sectors. Although the
clothing sector is the textile industry’s biggest consumer, it only accounts for 35% of production.
The remaining 65% is used by some 150 other sectors and subsectors, including automobiles,
health and safety, construction, plastics, mining, fishing, forests, and leisure. This increasingly
wide diversity of outlets is even generating problems relating to sectoral classification.
Towards technical outlets
The Textiles and Clothing cluster is very well structured. Its industrial chain encompasses all the
stages of production, from raw materials to technical outlets. Raw materials represent the initial
branch of the cluster structure. The extraction of raw materials is thus the first stage in textile
manufacture. Primary and secondary transformation are performed in textile materials mills
which often also carry out converting and finishing activities.
There are three types of finished products in the cluster. First, there are the textile products such
as carpets, rugs, curtains, sheets, cloth bags, burlap and other products. Then there is clothing
such as hosiery, socks and knitted items, men’s, women’s and children’s wear, baby clothes and
technical-use clothes for work or sport. This industrial chain also comprises two parallel sectors,
leather and fur, as well as related products which include perfume, cosmetics, jewellery and gold
and silver.
Finally, there are the technical outlets, which offer bright prospects for the future. They include
twelve distinct sectors in activities as varied as agriculture, fishery, environmental protection,
building and construction, professional and sports clothing, geotextiles, filtration systems,
household products, health and medicine, transportation material, ecological products, safety
material, packaging materials and sports equipment.
Towards large-scale customization
The promotion and distribution chain plays a critical role in this cluster, particularly in clothes
marketing. Major retailers are increasingly becoming order originators. They have therefore
acquired a certain amount of power over the cluster’s industrial chain. And electronic commerce
is gaining ground, which is tending to favour large-scale customization over mass production.
Since the Textiles and Clothing cluster has been established for a long time, its development
factors are more structured. It includes an impressive number of networks and associations;
however, negative perceptions of the cluster have weakened these factors considerably. Today,
research and training centres find it hard to renew their client base, and financing is increasingly
difficult to obtain.
Fabric and Products Sub-cluster
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Comppetitive
cluster
Employment1 by Borough and City — Textile Mills
Montreal Island – East End
Rivière-des-Prairies/Pointe-auxTrembles/Montréal-Est
Anjou
Montréal-Nord
Saint-Léonard
935
385
265
115
170
Montreal Island – Central Core
Mercier/Hochelaga-Maisonneuve
Ahuntsic/Cartierville
Outremont
Plateau Mont-Royal
Rosemont/Petite-Patrie
Ville-Marie
Villeray/Saint-Michel/Parc-Extension
Southwest
Côte-des-Neiges/Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
3,290
115
1,215
30
275
295
105
620
525
110
Montreal Island – West End
Côte-Saint-Luc/Hampstead/MontrealWest
Saint-Laurent
1,185
140
10
1,035
Montreal Island – South West
Lachine
LaSalle
Verdun
270
180
50
40
Montreal – West Island
Dollard-des-Ormeaux/Roxboro
Dorval/L’Île-Dorval
Pointe-Claire
Kirkland
145
25
10
100
10
Montreal Island
Laurentians
Boisbriand
Mirabel
Saint-Eustache
Saint-Colomban (outside the CMM)
Saint-Jérôme (outside the CMM)
295
10
10
35
10
240
Lanaudière
Mascouche
Terrebonne
30
15
20
North Shore
325
Laval
105
Montérégie – South Shore
Boucherville
Brossard
Chambly
Delson
Longueuil
Saint-Hubert
285
10
20
10
10
205
20
Montreal Metropolitan Area
6,540
Quebec
15,480
Canada
25,185
5,825
1. Individuals 15 years of age or older who have a regular workplace or who work from home. People who have no fixed address are not included.
N.B.: Figures were rounded to the closest multiple of 5; they may therefore not add up exactly to the sum of the components.
Source: Statistics Canada, Employment by Place of Work, 2001 Census – Figures on Textile Mills represent NAICS code 313.
Textiles and Clothing •10
Employment1 by Borough and City — Textile Products Mills
Anjou
Montréal-Nord
Saint-Léonard
Outremont
Plateau Mont-Royal
Ville-Marie
Sud-Ouest
775
120
340
40
275
1,815
95
730
15
190
210
40
270
210
55
Mont-Royal
Saint-Laurent
595
235
10
Lachine
LaSalle
Verdun
145
75
60
10
Pointe-Claire
Kirkland
Beaconsfield/Baie-d’Urfé
150
20
45
75
10
Montreal Island
350
Laurentians
Blainville
Boisbriand
Sainte-Thérèse
Saint-Eustache
80
15
10
30
15
20
Lanaudière
Mascouche
Terrebonne
65
15
55
North Shore
145
Laval
135
Beloeil
Boucherville
Brossard
Carignan
Léry
L’Ile-Perrot
Longueuil
St-Bruno-de-Montarville
Saint-Hubert
Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil
Varennes
275
40
30
45
20
10
10
75
10
35
15
10
4,035
Quebec
8,410
Canada
20,610
3,480
Source: Statistics Canada, Employment by Place of Work, 2001 Census – Figures on Textile Products Mills represent NAICS code 314.
Employment1 by Borough and City — Clothes Manufacturing
Anjou
Montréal-Nord
Saint-Léonard
Outremont
Plateau Mont-Royal
Ville-Marie
Sud-Ouest
Westmount
Mont-Royal
Saint-Laurent
3,715
410
280
1,315
1,710
26,380
295
8,450
60
3,020
3,945
1,395
7,915
270
35
985
2,545
550
45
1,950
Lachine
LaSalle
Verdun
360
180
145
35
Dorval/L’Ile Dorval
Pointe-Claire
Kirkland
Beaconsfield/Baie-d’Urfé
L’Ile Bizard/Ste-Geneviève/Ste-Anne-deBellevue
Pierrefonds/Senneville
535
125
205
100
10
20
Montreal Island
Laurentians
Blainville
Boisbriand
Bois-des-Filion
Deux-Montagnes
Mirabel
Oka
Pointe-Calumet
Rosemère
Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines
Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac
Sainte-Thérèse
Saint-Eustache
15
60
33,525
1,185
20
420
15
10
80
10
10
10
130
10
240
50
165
Lanaudière
Charlemagne
L’Assomption
Mascouche
Repentigny
Terrebonne
Lavaltrie (outside the CMM)
290
10
20
60
55
140
10
North Shore
1,465
Laval
990
Beauharnois
Beloeil
Boucherville
Brossard
Carignan
Chambly
Châteauguay
Delson
Greenfield Park
La Prairie
LeMoyne
Longueuil
L’Ile-Cadieux
Mercier
Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Richelieu
Saint-Amable
Saint-Constant
Sainte-Catherine
Sainte-Julie
Saint-Hubert
Saint-Lambert
Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu
Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil
Saint-Philippe
Varennes
Vaudreuil-Dorion
1,195
25
15
85
275
10
135
60
10
40
25
10
140
10
15
10
35
20
15
10
35
135
40
10
35
10
10
10
37,185
Quebec
56,995
Canada
99,175
Source: Statistics Canada, Employment by Place of Work, 2001 Census – Figures on Clothing represent NAICS code 315.
Employment1 by Borough and City — Leather Products
Anjou
Montréal-Nord
Saint-Léonard
Montreal Island – Central Core Mercier/
Hochelaga-Maisonneuve
Plateau Mont-Royal
Ville-Marie
Sud-Ouest
Mont-Royal
Saint-Laurent
395
40
235
45
75
1,020
40
145
180
260
110
245
10
30
495
225
260
Lachine
LaSalle
Verdun
65
15
35
15
Dorval/L’Île-Dorval
10
10
Montreal Island
Laurentians
Blainville
Sainte-Thérèse
Saint-Placide
40
15
10
10
Lanaudière
L’Assomption
Repentigny
50
40
10
North Shore
90
Laval
70
Boucherville
Brossard
Chambly
Otterburn Park
St-Basile-le-Grand
Sainte-Julie
Saint-Hubert
Saint-Lazare
Varennes
145
10
20
10
10
20
10
10
10
45
2,270
Quebec
4,895
Canada
9,855
1,975
Source: Statistics Canada, Employment by Place of Work, 2001 Census – Figures on Leather Products represent NAICS code 316.
Configuration
Sub-Cluster
Fabrics and Products
Production Chain
Fabrics and Products /
Necessary Adaptation
At the end of the 19th century, only the forestry industry provided more manufacturing jobs in
Quebec than the textile industry. In 1960 there were still 42,000 jobs in this industry, making
it the third largest employer in the manufacturing sector. These companies, and indeed the
manufacturing sector as a whole, were hit hard, however, by two major recessions, one in the
1980s and another in the 1990s.
We should not lose sight of the fact that, over the years, this industry has played a supporting
role for several other industrial or manufacturing sectors, which has made it vulnerable to all the
economic slowdowns affecting those sectors. Despite these structural and cyclical adjustments,
Quebec still leads the rest of Canada in primary textiles. In 1999, Statistics Canada counted twice
the number of textile mills in Quebec (212) than in Ontario (110) and almost double the number
of jobs, with 16,192 in Quebec compared to 8,514 in Ontario.
But the picture is not so rosy for the Fabrics and Products sub-cluster, as part of the production
is concentrated in groups that are reaching maturity, such as knitted fabrics, greige fabrics and
basic yarns, all victims of delocalization. Proportionately, Quebec’s industry today appears
more vulnerable to world competition than that of Ontario or the United States. Increasingly,
however, we are seeing improved balance in production, and the gradual move towards technical
applications will no doubt enable the industry, if it continues the current integration process, to
find new business opportunities with good prospects for the future.
The textile industry comprises several small and medium-sized businesses involved in specialized
production for a wide variety of industrial and commercial markets in Canada and abroad. In its
2003 industry profile report, the Ministry of Economic and Regional Development and Research
(MDERR) states that 60% of the 212 textile mills counted in Quebec in 1999 employ fewer than
49 people, while 78% employ fewer than 100. Conversely, mills with over 100 employees (22%)
account for 68% of Quebec’s production, and those with 200 employees or more achieve the
highest productivity levels.
The textile industry in Quebec is concentrated primarily in the regions of Montreal and
Montérégie, with 34% and 24% of the province’s textile production respectively in 1998, the
only year with any statistics for this category. With regard to employment, these two regions
together account for 60% of jobs in the sector. Montreal dominates the textile materials and
textile products group, with over 34% and almost 32% of production respectively.
From a human resources standpoint, these figures represent close to 38% of employees for the
textile materials mills and more than 43% of employees for the textile products mills. Montérégie
follows, with 24.4% of dispatches from textile materials mills. The Laval region is home to five
textile mills and six textile products facilities respectively, while the Laurentians area has four
textile mills and the Laurentides area four textile products facilities.
The knitwear sector is largely concentrated in Montreal. It comprises three segments: knitted
fabrics, household articles, and dyeing and finishing.
Industrial Chain
/ Industrial Chain
Fabric and Products
Raw Materials
Upstream from the textile industry are the producers of natural and synthetic fibres. Natural
fibre producers work mainly in agricultural industries across the world as breeders of sheep,
lambs, goats, rabbits, lamas, etc., or as producers of cotton plants or similar shrubs. Synthetic
fibre producers are manufacturers of chemical products used to create artificial and manmade
fibres and threads.
New Zealand, Australia and Canada are recognized producers of sheep’s wool and lamb’s wool.
Various countries in Europe, Asia and South America have earned worldwide reputations as
breeders of angora rabbits, Merino rabbits, angora (mohair) goats, cashmere goats, silk worms,
wild lamas (alpaga), etc. One interesting initiative worth mentioning is the Natural Fibre Centre
set up in January 2001 by Alberta’s Olds College Centre for Innovation, in partnership with the
Canadian government. The fibre centre offers research and testing services for the creation of
high-quality value-added products.
Fibres for spinning and weaving do not come exclusively from the animal world; they can also
be of plant origin (cotton, aloe, hemp, flax, burlap, sisal, kapok, ramie, etc.) and mineral origin
(asbestos, glass, carbon, aramid, etc.). The latter are often referred to as technical fibres, not to be
confused with the expression “technical textiles” which means something quite different today.
With respect to cotton plant production, India is renowned for its short staple cotton, America for
its medium staple cotton and Egypt for its long staple cotton. Fibre flax is cultivated chiefly in the
European Union (France, Belgium and the Netherlands) and Eastern Europe; burlap and kenaf,
mainly in Bangladesh, India and Nepal; and sisal, in South Africa, South America and Asia.
The rise of natural fibres
Canada, thanks to the western provinces, is the world’s largest producer (40% of the market) and
exporter of flax, mainly of the seed used for nutritional and ecological purposes. This type of flax
has completely different applications than fibre flax. Production of industrial hemp, halted in
1938, was only legalized by the Canadian government in 1998. Nevertheless, there are over 600
cellulose fibre producers in the world today, and Canada is a net importer.
Natural fibres were long associated with garment making, but this is no longer the case, and an
increasing number of opportunities are arising in technical markets. The world car industry, for
instance, has increased its use of natural fibres five-fold in the last five years.
The market for cellulose fibres such as hemp and flax (short fibres) is in full expansion and new
technical outlets are emerging: sturdier composite panels for cars, and insulation and construction
materials that are twice as resistant as wood and cement. Specialized papers, technical filters and
healthcare products are also very stable markets.
Although it represents only 20% of the textile materials market at present, the whole area of
natural fibres remains an extremely important part of the industry, which is not really catalogued
on an industrial basis, nor structured according to a scientific and technical model. Like flax and
hemp, these fibres will be used for an increasing number of technical applications in the next few
years, as extrusion technology becomes more sophisticated. The growth of this market will be
/ Industrial Chain
Fabric and Products
stimulated not only by economic factors but also primarily by environmental concerns. Demand
for natural materials, particularly for construction and interior decorating, is in net progression
throughout Europe and America, and the medium-term outlook is especially optimistic.
Dominance of synthetic fibres
Currently representing some 80% of the textile market, synthetic and artificial fibres have taken
such a large place in practically all the textile product ranges due to their excellent value and their
numerous specific properties. Synthetic fibres like polyester (Dacron, Tergal, etc.), acrylic, nylon
and more recent innovations such as polypropylene and Spandex are derivatives of petroleum,
natural gas and coal. Artificial fibres such as viscose, acetate and others come from natural raw
materials (cellulose, casein, algae, etc.).
Developed during the second half of the last century, synthetic fibres are a steadily expanding
global market. Demand for polyester, for example, is rising in all parts of the world due to its
multiple uses: reinforcement of tires or asphalt, seat belts, construction panels, etc. New synthetic
fibres, especially the more high-tech types, are constantly being developed. By blending different
fibres, researchers can obtain materials that combine all the sought-after characteristics (shine
or silky aspect) or specific properties (thermal qualities, instant drying). Research is abundant
in this field.
The most recent technological innovations are a result of new approaches in yarn manufacturing,
which make it possible to produce an infinite palette of textures and finishes for weaving.
Other research focuses on developing specific treatments for fibres (grafting with ionization,
microencapsulation, chemical additives, etc.), which give the fibres remarkable properties
(iridescent, anti-odour, anti-UV effect, etc.). Genetically engineered fibres are starting to be
produced by laboratories (spider silk cloning). Colours without dyes are also created using an
entirely new procedure (laser engraving).
The production of synthetic and artificial fibres is a key activity that should form an integral
part of the textile industry. It is currently classified in the chemicals industry. When compiling
the list of artificial and synthetic fibres and filaments (NAICS 325220) included in the chemicals
industry, it is apparent that of the 10 mills in this category, only 2 small facilities, Plastifil in
Trois-Rivières (20 employees) and MXT in Montreal (8 employees), differ by not being directly
linked to the textile industry. The eight others form part of textile companies which have
integrated fibre production into their main activities, which range from spinning (Bermatex or
Textiles Du-Re) to the production of fabrics (Tricot Richelieu) or of non-woven textiles (Matador
Convertisseur in Montreal), to the manufacture of carpets (Beaulieu Canada, Tapis Venture or
Poly Extrusion).
/ Industrial Chain
Fabric and Products
Textile Materials
The textiles materials sector encompasses all the first and second transformation industries.
There are around 8,000 textile materials manufacturing jobs in the Montreal metropolitan area,
which represents half of the total number of jobs in textile mills in Quebec. These jobs are spread
through approximately one hundred companies, most of which employ fewer than 50 people.
Mills employing over 100 people sometimes account for most of the production and also have
greater productivity levels.
During this stage, the raw materials are converted to manufactured or raw material products.
Raw materials make up the greater part of Quebec textile manufacturers’ operating costs. Also,
the weakness of domestic production obliges the industry to import almost all its fibres. It is
also important to remember that the industry in Quebec is strictly controlled by foreign players,
principally in the United States and Europe.
In 2003, deliveries of textile materials for the whole of Quebec amounted to $1.8 billion and
exports to nearly $1 billion. Almost 90% of exports are to the United States. Imports of textile
materials to the domestic market were $1.1 billion in 2003, reflecting a decline begun five years
previously.
The broad-woven fabrics sub-sector is the biggest in terms of deliveries. The sectors of fibres,
threads, spun yarns and knitwear are equal in size. The sub-sectors of narrow and non-woven
fabrics are more modest, but offer the best prospects for the future, since they are linked to new
and technical textiles.
Spun yarns and threads — Quebec’s spinning mills mainly use manmade fibres and mixtures
and produce a considerable quantity of specialized yarns, which is a more secure market. The
preferred niches are knitwear, which grew rapidly in the 1990s, and apparel; however, the spinning
mills’ activities have been slowing since the start of the 2000s.
There are five spinning mills on CMM territory, all located in Montreal. They are Filature HenriBourassa, belonging to Gildan, (135 employees), Cansew (85 employees) and American & Efird (32
employees). The two others, Fils Kay and Neeltex, are very small and employ fewer than 20 people.
Broad-woven fabrics — Quebec’s textile mills mainly produce fabrics from natural fibres
and chemical staple fibres. The sector is also well positioned in the production of manmade
continuous filament fabrics and technical-use fabrics. Production is partly focused on the
clothing, household items and upholstery markets, and partly on rapidly expanding industrial
markets such as stationary, transportation, construction, and filtration.
In this category, Asten Johnson, which has two mills, one in Montreal (80 employees) and the
other in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield (115 employees), is a world leader in paper machine clothing
and filtering equipment.
Narrow fabrics —Quebec’s mills are extremely dynamic on both the domestic and foreign
markets, thanks to production geared towards industrial manmade fibre narrow goods (straps
for transport, safety belts, camping items, etc.). Many products fall into the wide category of
technical-use textiles.
/ Industrial Chain
Fabric and Products
There are around twenty mills on greater Montreal territory. Some of the largest are the zip
manufacturer YKK with 175 employees followed by Calko (125 employees), Canzip (85
employees) and Block (36 employees), all four located in Montreal. Two others are situated in
Saint-Léonard – Dominion Corde (62 employees) and United Trims (32 employees). Caristrap
in Laval and Rubans Hubscher in Lachine each employ 45 people.
Non-woven fabrics — This is the principal sector for the development of technical-use textiles,
which efficiently combine manmade, paper and textile technologies, and clearly have huge
growth potential. Quebec’s textile and non-woven fabric mills ship mostly needle felts and other
products to industrial sectors such as construction, civil engineering (geotextiles), horticulture,
and sports and leisure. They also produce fabrics made of non-woven staple fibres and cotton
wadding for hygiene and healthcare sectors, industrial linens, and filtration products.
There are only six non-woven fabric mills on greater Montreal territory, three of which are located
in Montreal. They are Matador Convertisseurs (73 employees), Fibrofil (24 employees) and Fibres
Wadco (5 employees). Fibres Jasztex has two mills, one in Pointe-Claire (95 employees) and
the other in Saint-Léonard (32 employees). Finally, Soleno Textiles Techniques (20 employee) is
located in Laval.
Knitwear —Quebec is Canada’s clear leader in this field, accounting for over 75% of production
nationwide. Against all odds, production in Quebec has increased by more than 40% between
1993 and 2000. After peaking in 1997, Canada’s apparent domestic market stabilized for three
years at around $835 million. It started to lose ground only in 2000 and 2001, losing 18.5% of its
value. Production by Quebec mills fell by 8% in 2001, a probable result of the impact of stricter
trade regulations in the United States, the same factor that hit the yarns and threads group. For at
least two years still, imports are expected to rise and exports are likely to decline, continuing the
trends that started to appear in 2001 and 2002. It is highly likely that the textile mills in Quebec
will continue to lose ground in their domestic and foreign markets; however, the signing of the
Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Agreement could significantly change the situation in
overseas markets.
Knitwear is essentially knitted fabrics that can be categorized into four groups: lace and tulle,
plush and velvet, warp-knit fabric (swimwear, lingerie) and circular-knit stitched fabric (teeshirts, polo-shirts, etc.). Almost all Quebec’s production is destined for the clothing and high-tech
refined sports apparel sector. The production of circular knits, single knits (jersey) or complex
(interlock) is prevalent in Quebec.
There are almost 30 knitting mills in Montreal. Vêtements de sport Gildan is the largest with
375 employees in Saint-Laurent, followed closely by Nalpac (320 employees) and Paris Star (300
employees). Two other mills employ more than 100 people – Manoir (190) and Tricots Liesse
(105). All the others have fewer than 50 employees, except Agmont with 65.
/ Industrial Chain
Fabric and Products
Converting and Finishing
The converting and finishing processes are closely linked to the production of textile materials.
These activities are often even directly integrated in the production activities of the textile
manufacturers. They represent only a small part of all textile production, both for delivery value
and jobs – around 15%. In 2003, manufacturing deliveries stood at $306 million, $11 million of
which were exported.
The conversion process often obliges companies to invest in the prevention and management of
environmental risks due to effluents of textile dyes and finishes.
Finishing — Financial results for the “finishing” group zigzagged their way through the period
from 1993-1999. This group ended 1999 at its lowest threshold ($9.5 million) for the entire
period, marking a decline of 33%. The apparent Canadian market ended this period on a very
positive note, having grown by around 54%. Quebec contributed for approximately 61% of the
Canadian market, but this proportion is low compared to over 72% of the market achieved in
1994.
Three trends are hitting Quebec’s finishing plants hard: 1) the large concentration of clothing
chains in Toronto instead of Montreal; 2) the tightening of US trade laws; and 3) the vertical
integration of fabric producers, who are integrating finishing into their daily activities. Exports
are weak and will stay that way. The future will lie in developing greater capacity to meet the
needs of the domestic market or to evolve towards more specialized niches.
The finishing plants mainly serve the companies that manufacture and distribute yarns and
knits for the clothing sector. In Quebec they use mostly “conventional” methods as opposed to
more advanced techniques (plasma, polymers, etc.). The largest plants in the Montreal area are
Doubletex (388 employees), Teinturiers Concorde (110 employees) and Teinture Agmont (100
employees).
Coating — The very small number of mills in Quebec (fewer than 10) that make up this group
enjoyed strong production growth (82%) during 1993-1999. It increased its share of the domestic
market and slightly increased exports. There was a cyclic fall in deliveries of around 17% in 2001.
Exports started to pick up again in 2002, and this growth should remain steady in the short term.
The demand for these products remains very high in many industrial sectors; however, Quebec’s
production remains relatively weak in the circumstances and leaves too much room for imports,
which have remained stable since 2000.
This is another sector which concerns technical-use textiles. The mills in this group are primarily
involved in the coating and impregnation of fabrics. Growth lies primarily in rubberized
and plasticized fabrics. The main applications involve the emergency services, work apparel,
transportation equipment, construction and health care sectors.
/ Industrial Chain
Fabric and Products
Textile Products
Textile products are located downstream of the primary textiles cluster. They make up the final
transformation of textile materials and products for the consumer market, either the domestic
market, as is the case for carpets, rugs, curtains or household textiles, or for the industrial or
leisure and sports markets, such as burlap, bags and other cloth products. A whole range of
articles designed to meet consumer or trade needs are included in this category.
In 2003, manufacturing deliveries of textile products stood at $900 million for the whole of
Quebec and exports were close to $275 million. As for textile materials, almost 90% of exports
are shipped to the United States. Imports of textile materials on the domestic market stood at
$393 million in 2003. The steady rise of these imports during the last few years has increased
pressure on domestic manufacturers.
Textile product mills account for approximately 4,000 manufacturing jobs in the Montreal
metropolitan area. This figure represents close to 60% of total jobs in textile products mills in
Quebec. There are thought to be around 150 companies on CMM territory whose production
activities are linked to textile products. Some have links with other industrial sectors.
Nearly 25% of Quebec’s textile product mills are located in the Montérégie administrative
region. Even though a part of Montérégie is included in CMM territory, there are some large
centres of activity which do not form part of the CMM, such as Granby, Cowansville and SaintHyacinthe.
Textile product mills are categorized into two major groups: household textiles and other textile
products. Included in the first category are carpet and rug manufacturers and curtain and
household linen manufacturers (including bedding). In the second there are, on the one hand,
manufacturers of cloth bags and burlap articles and, on the other, a heterogeneous class including
all the products that fall outside all other categories.
Carpets and rugs — Production in Quebec has been steadily rising since 1993, aside from a pause
in 2000, as has the apparent Canadian market, which grew a little over 5% in 2001 compared
to 2000. Quebec exports increased at a steady rate, reaching a peak of $77.3 million in 2001,
while Canadian exports slowed somewhat. On the other hand, imports to Quebec and Canada
increased significantly.
Quebec’s mills accounted for over 30% of the apparent Canadian market in 2001. Taking into
account the maintenance of trends in Quebec exports and Canadian imports, Quebec’s mills
were able to maintain their overall position in 2002 on the domestic market.
Quebec’s few carpet and rug mills are vertically integrated, from the manufacture of artificial
and synthetic fibres and filaments to the finished product. It is an extremely concentrated sector,
resulting from mergers and acquisitions. Some companies specialize in woven carpets for the
transportation materials industry.
Most carpet and rug production is concentrated in Montérégie, especially in Acton Vale, home
to the largest Canadian manufacturer, la Compagnie Beaulieu, which runs five mills in Quebec.
This Canadian giant, subsidiary of the Beaulieu of America group, whose headquarters are in
Dalton, Georgia, was incorporated in the 1990s when it acquired Tapis Coronet of Farnham
/ Industrial Chain
Fabric and Products
and Tapis Peerless of Acton Vale. The company employs over 1,600 employees and its business
volume exceeds CAD$300 million.
More specifically, on Montreal metropolitan territory there is RCR International (250 employees)
in Boucherville, which makes carpets and rugs as a secondary production to its wide range of
plastic and metal products. There are also two companies in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, very
near the outer limits of CMM territory: Tapis I.B.E (120 employees) and Carpettes Lanart (60
employees). The other companies on CMM territory employ fewer than 20 people.
Curtains and household textiles — The mills of this group in Quebec were victims of very slow
growth (only 13%) between 1993 and 1999. Exports to the United States, on the other hand, were
extremely high, increasing almost fourfold during the same period. This strong growth was not
repeated on the domestic market, however, where the group lost quite a lot of ground in Canada
as a whole due to a high volume of imports since 1997. Production fell sharply by 18% in 2001
over the previous year. With imports to Canada increasing by another $50 million in 2002, the
Quebec group is likely to lose ground on the Canadian stage. The only encouraging factor is
that exports surged by $25 million in 2002, a rise of 39%, the highest in the subsector of textile
products mills.
Quebec’s mills are strongly concentrated on the production of bedding and furnishing accessories,
with a small breakthrough into garden furniture. Very little production is for industrial use. Only
two players dominate this sector. They are Décors Commonwealth in Montreal (360 employees)
and Industries Beco in Anjou (330 employees). They are followed by three medium-sized mills
employing between 100 and 200 people.
Cloth bags and burlap — Production increased by some 31% between 1993 and 1999, but fell
back by 6% in 2001 compared to 2000. Exports from Quebec doubled, while imports to Canada
did the same. Quebec’s share of the Canadian market was 10 percentage points lower in 2001
than in 1993 and this trend is likely to continue for 2002. Exports from Quebec remain strong,
however. After having more than doubled (168%) between 1993 and 1999, they soared by 38% in
2001. But these gains do not offset the decline in other Canadian market segments.
Aside from their large production of awnings and temporary garages, Quebec mills make
numerous textile products for technical use: tarpaulins, canvas roofs and sails for boats, jeep
doors, belts, harnesses, canvas lifting material, protective padding, filters, tents, sealed airlock
systems, safety clothing, working aprons, armoured vests, therapeutic articles, salvage booms,
blanket insulation for concrete curing and for blasting, welding screens, protective covers,
etc. Evidently, the list is long and varied. Other products include bags for practical or sporting
use such as shipping, travel, school, laundry or shopping bags, medical bags for bandages and
dressings, backpacks, filter bags, etc.
This group also includes a good number of technical-use products such as tarpaulins, tents and
protective covers. This group does not include only cottage industries that manufacture (sew)
awnings, as is often widely believed. There are many cottage industries but they do not create
many jobs. A more precise segmentation of the burlap sector and the following sector relating to
other textile products mills might lead to a better analysis.
Some of the more noteworthy companies in this group are Canning (55 employees) in Laval,
Emballages Workman (95 employees) in Saint-Laurent, Tentes Fiesta (57 employees) in Lachine
and Gazebo Penguin (52 employees) in Montreal. All the others employ fewer than 50 people.
/ Industrial Chain
Fabric and Products
All other products — Analysis of this group is of little use, as there is no strong link between the
products manufactured. The important thing to note is that the group is making strong inroads
into the US market along with all the other groups, with a 175% surge in exports. Another point
worth mentioning is that the production value of this group is now almost double that of the
cloth bags and burlap group, whereas in 1993 burlap group production was the higher of the
two.
The products in this group do not fall into easily identifiable categories. They range from coffin
linings to promotional material, embroidery to cleaning wipes, animal accessories to toiletries,
furniture felt to breastfeeding pads, hoses for artificial snow to padding cord, electrical wire
insulating twine to fire hoses, flags to incontinence articles, theatre curtains to hammocks, and
certainly many others.
By and large, the textile mills and textile product mills in Quebec recorded growth of 39% and
25% respectively during the period between 1993 and 1999. And despite a slight decline in
activity for the former at the start of the current decade, they have been more successful in many
cases than their North American counterparts.
This group tends to be overlooked, on the pretext that it is a catchall category. It does, however,
include several technical-use textile products for commerce and industry (transport, health,
leisure, rubbers, plastics, etc.). Unfortunately they are lost among many promotional fabric
products and various embroidery items. Textile waste transformation also belongs to this
group.
Development Factors
Development Factors
Research
All the textile industry companies, especially those in the technical textiles sector, can benefit
from the expertise and work carried out by the Centre for Textile Technologies (CTT Group),
an organization in Saint-Hyacinthe, whose mission is to answer industry needs and encourage
the progress of textile technologies in the textile industry. It comprises four divisions: the Centre
for Textile Technologies (CTT), the Geosynthetic Technology Centre (SAGEOS), the SAGEOS
Laboratories and the Textile Journal. The staff at the centre includes researchers, engineers
and technicians, who are assisted by textile companies who need to design increasingly highperformance products with considerable added value.
CTT Group’s main commitments lie in the following areas: plasma for surface treatments,
nanotechnology: functionalization of fibre surfaces; and finally smart textiles, a sector in which
research avenues have been defined but for which no practical applications exist yet. CTT Group
is also planning to become involved in about a dozen other areas, such as protection (which
already accounts for 50% of its activities), industrial applications, medicine, agriculture, valueadded apparel, sports, geotextiles, environment, construction, the home (value-added textiles),
packaging and the car industry.
With regard to protection, the CTT participated in establishing the Chaire de recherche en
matériaux et équipements de protection utilisés en santé et en sécurité au travail (Research Chair
in materials and equipment for protection in healthcare and work safety). Created by the École
de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), this Chair enables the development of new knowledge in the
spheres of health and safety. It is the result of collaboration between the ÉTS and the Institut de
recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et sécurité au travail (IRSST) (Robert-Sauvé research institute
for health and safety in the workplace). By joining the expertise of research centres with those
of protection equipment manufacturers, the Chair has been able to direct its research towards
improving the performance of protective clothing against cuts, perforations, damage due to
industrial solvents, fire and extreme heat, with the aim of optimizing flexibility and efficiency.
The Chair also carries out research into problems relating to the ageing and degrading of materials
used in fall protection equipment for work at height.
CTT Group also works with the Centre des Technologies des Systèmes Ordinés (computerized
systems technology centre) and the Centre de géomatique du Québec (Quebec geomatics centre)
in a techno-commercial alliance. The goal of the project, entitled Le Regroupement technologique
pour les textiles intelligents (Technology Group for Smart Textiles) is to develop and promote the
use of technologies and applications for the incorporation of miniaturized electronic components
(with tracking functions, among others), into textiles and apparel. By combining the strengths
of the textile sector with the processes of miniaturizing electronic circuits, and by banking on
telecommunications and geomatics, the CTT aims to accelerate the already advanced research
into smart textiles and in doing so exploit new market opportunities.
Various research work is being led at the École Polytechnique de Montréal, where students
can follow specialized courses on materials. The Université de Sherbrooke also houses several
researchers working in industrial textiles. The work of the Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe should also
be underlined. This institution works hand in hand with CTT Group, and the two establishments
constitute the hub of textile research in Quebec.
Development
As a final note, it should be remembered that industrial innovation is not only reliant on R&D
activities. According to the Canadian Textiles Institute, with respect to large investments in new
technologies, professional training, industrial design and engineering, and electronic business
are all important foundations for innovation and competitiveness.
The textile industry is the leading manufacturing industry with respect to automated handling
and quality control technologies. It is in second position, behind paper and related products mills,
for computer-integrated production. Only the drinks industry leads textiles for the number of
businesses using inter-company electronic communications technology.
On this same subject, the Canadian Textiles Institute highlights the results of a study on advanced
technologies in Canadian manufacturing published by Statistics Canada. The textile industry
is one of the five industries, along with drinks, paper and related products, primary metals
and electronic and electrical products, that have integrated functional technologies into their
activities the most quickly and efficiently.
Financing
As far as financing is concerned, companies in the textile sector can count primarily on the
support of two government partners: the (MDERR) in Quebec, and Industry Canada at the
federal level.
Sponsored by Industry Canada, the Canadian Apparel and Textile Industries Program (CATIP),
administered regionally by Canada Economic Development in Quebec, focuses on programs and
procedures that will help textile and clothing industries adjust to new competition demands. In
this way, it aims to improve new technology-linked practices that reinforce marketing strategies,
identify potential markets, diversify products and will contribute to the growth of electronic
business capacities.
Canadian textile companies can also obtain financial assistance to hire graduates from junior
colleges (CÉGEPS), colleges, or universities. The Perspectives textiles program offers salary
grants of up to $13,000 per eligible graduate. The companies can also sign agreements for the
financing of different projects and, according to the nature of the products, other organizations
and ministries can provide financial support.
It should be noted, however, that financing has become one of the main problems of small and
medium-sized businesses. Banks are often their only source of financing. Several organizations
in Quebec, such as the Caisse de dépôt et de placement, the FTQ Solidarity Fund and the Société
générale de financement (SGF), could help back their development, but the high level of perceived
risk and financial sector bias prevent many projects from getting off the ground.
Development
Training
The textile industry in Quebec benefits from training programs at secondary, college and university
level. The Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe is a pioneer in this field. It is the only establishment to offer
a complete program of study leading to a college diploma in textiles. Four regional school boards
offer vocational study programs leading to vocational diplomas, to train general operators in
textile production. The school boards involved are those of Beauce-Etchemin, des Chênes, from
the Sherbrooke region and Val-des-Cerfs.
The Comité sectoriel de main-d’œuvre de l’industrie textile (textile industry workforce sector
committee) also strives to develop training programs in the workplace, including a program for
spinning machine operators. As for university training, the Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe formed
a partnership in 2002 with the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières with a view to offering a
certificate in textile studies.
Several businesses recruit graduates of technical programs with a concentration in mechanics
or heavy machinery operation. They also look to engineering students. This can be explained
by the fact that specialization and production needs vary greatly from one company to another.
Some prefer, for example, to hire mechanics students and to complete their training within the
company.
As there exists no bachelor’s degree in textiles, textile firms often approach engineering graduates.
For example, in the Greater Montreal Area, the university degree courses linked to textile
industry are the Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering, the Certificate in Quality Management
and Assurance and the Certificate in Industrial Production, all three offered by the École de
technologie supérieure (ÉTS). The Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal also offers a bachelor’s
program in mechanical engineering, providing relevant training for the textile industry.
The Comité sectoriel de la main-d’œuvre de l’industrie textile also plays a leading role in
manpower planning and development. It is a joint organization, financed entirely by EmploiQuébec, whose mandate is to develop human resources and a culture of continuing education in
the textile companies of Quebec, and to promote the textile sector and its careers. All the textile
sector committee’s decisions are made in agreement with business leaders, training institutions,
the Ministry of Education and external training providers.
There is also the Textiles Human Resources Council (THRC) whose goals are essentially the
same as those of the sector committee. It was created from an independent, non-profit alliance
between unions and management. The Council develops innovative training and education
solutions to respond to established and emerging human resources needs. It also offers skills
improvement programs to meet industry learning needs.
Development
Structuring Organizations
In Quebec, the Centre for Textile Technologies and the Geosynthetic Technology Centre (CTT
Group) is the industry’s primary structuring organization. As well as carrying out research in
technical textiles, it offers commercial services to help mobilize the industry and its partner
organizations. In this way, it is able to organize trade missions and fairs abroad and interact
directly with Quebec companies.
Every year, CTT Group, in collaboration with the Textile Federation of Canada and other
Canadian textile associations, organize the HIGHTEX Conference & Trade Show for business
leaders and industry players. In 2003, the event was held in Saint-Hyacinthe on the theme of
protective fibres and textiles. In 2004, the conference was held at the Montreal Science Centre on
the theme of technical textiles.
Another key textile industry association is the Canadian Textiles Institute (CTI), which lobbies
governments on behalf of all Canadian textile companies. The CTI organizes an annual trade show
on technical textiles. In 2004 the event focused on military textiles and protective equipment.
The textile industry in Quebec can also count on the support of the Canadian Association of
Textile Colourists and Chemists - Quebec section, the Association des textiles des Cantons de
l’Est and the Textile Federation of Canada, which operates within the CTT Group in SaintHyacinthe.
Recently, in response to an initiative of the MDERR, the SGF and Hydro-Québec, partners from
industry, research and training set up an Issue Table for the Quebec textile industry with the
mission to improve networking and information transfer within the industry and to strengthen
avenues for future growth, especially in technical textiles. It will also promote the textiles sector
in an attempt to counter its prevailing negative image. Nineteen people currently make up the
Table, including seven industrialists.
SAGEOS and its partners invite the professional engineering community to its annual Forum on
Geosynthetics, the only event of its kind in Canada relating to the geosynthetics industry.
The textile industry workforce sector committee and the THRC are also two associations that
help industry networking. The THRC organizes the annual Futur-Tex conference to discuss
exemplary human resources practices and technical developments to overcome labour force
challenges. Over 200 representatives of textile firms, unions, suppliers and related businesses
attend this national event annually.
Specialized unions — Textile sector workers are represented by three main unions: the
Fédération des syndicats du textile et du vêtement (CSD), the Syndicat du vêtement, textile et
autres industries (SVTI), an FTQ affiliate, and the Fédération du commerce, secteur textile,
vêtement, chaussure (TVC), an affiliate of the CSN.
Development
Consultants
Companies in the Greater Montreal Area can rely on the services of three large textile consulting
firms: Groupe textile (consulting firm), Fintex Mécaniques et Procédés and Guilbault et Associés,
in Saint-Bruno, offering advice on planning, research and consumer and industry marketing
strategies.
The Canadian Technology Network (CTN) is a nationwide network of experts which includes
advisors from the National Research Council and Canada Economic Development (CED),
among others. Through this network, SMBs have access to competent resources for all their
questions of a technical or commercial nature.
A joint initiative between CED and the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ – Order of Quebec
Engineers) allows manufacturing SMBs access to the Operation SMB program to help them
evaluate and improve their technological capacity and benefit from consulting and accompanying
services provided by human resources experts skilled in technology.
The network of 21 institutes and federal organizations dedicated to research and development in
Quebec share their scientific knowledge with the SMBs and work with them towards the transfer
of this knowledge.
In collaboration with CED, the Association de la recherche industrielle du Québec (ADRIQ)
makes available to industrial SMBs a network of advisors in each region of Quebec, with a view
to structuring technological innovation efforts and facilitating access to tax credits for R&D.
The Institut de développement de produits (IDP) offers SMBs development and skills transfer
services (workshops, seminars, conferences), as well as accompanying and networking. These
services are offered with the aim of developing, distributing and establishing efficient practices
in product development so as to improve SMBs’ productivity.
There is also the Centre spécialisé de technologie physique du Québec (CSTPQ), which focuses
on the development of high-tech products and production procedures. The organization also
offers consulting services to companies and a laboratory specialized in the development of
computer integrated manufacturing.
Sub-cluster
Clothing and Fashion
Industrial Chain
Montreal, the Fashion Capital
According to the MDERR, the Montreal metropolitan area is home to the third largest clothing
industry in North America, behind Los Angeles and New York. Approximately 30,000 people are
employed in this industry, almost 10% of Montreal’s entire manufacturing sector. Of this number,
85% are involved in production, 8% in administration and 7% in design and marketing.
In 2002, in Quebec, 71% of jobs in clothing manufacturing were held by women. The average
hourly wage was $11.01 (excluding overtime), $5.80 lower than the average hourly wage for
the whole of the manufacturing sector. It is an ageing and relatively uneducated workforce.
Immigrants, especially in Montreal, occupy the majority of jobs relating to production.
For the whole of Quebec in 2002, manufacturing shipments of apparel stood at $3.9 billion and
exports at close to $1.8 billion. Approximately 96% of exports were for the US market. Imports
of clothes to the domestic market have been steadily rising for the last few years and domestic
manufacturers are suffering from increased foreign competition.
While clothing manufacturers have to deal with competition from emerging countries, the
fashion sector seems to be concentrated in more developed countries. Thus, Montreal’s fashion
and design industry in is in direct competition with that of New York, Milan, Paris, and even
Toronto.
Fashion and design are the mainsprings of the whole clothing industry. Its jobs are also the least
likely to be affected by industry delocalization. Design and promotion account for around 7%
of all manufacturing jobs relating to clothing production. There are also many jobs in retail
commerce related to fashion design.
Industrial Chain
Industrial Chain
Clothing and Fashion /
Clothing Manufacture
As with the manufacture of textile products for domestic, sporting or industrial use, clothing
manufacture is located downstream in the textile cluster. It consists in transforming textile
materials to finished clothing products for consumer or industrial and institutional markets.
This sub-cluster is focused on three major markets: men and boys, women and girls, and children
and babies. In addition to the clothes produced for these three main markets, it also produces
gloves, hosiery and socks, sweaters and knitted shirts, lingerie and underwear, beach wear and
professional wear. It also produces leather and fur items which will be the subject of a separate
section.
Another characteristic of the clothing industry is that it is subdivided into two manufacturing
groups, those that make and sell their own products and those that manufacture as subcontractors
for order originators. The latter is known as custom manufacture. Numerous strategies are
followed in the industry. Some companies prefer to concentrate on a single activity – design, for
example – and outsource the mass production. Others make certain types of more personalized
products themselves and outsource the less distinctive ones.
The subcontractors can therefore work for big designers who market their own labels and for
large retail chains that are developing their own brands. In some cases, manufacturers and
subcontractors can even do the distribution themselves or have it done under contract. One
thing remains certain: an increasing number of large integrated groups are being formed.
Most of the 500 companies of the clothing and fashion sub-cluster make clothing for women
and girls. A significant number of large companies, however, offer products for both women and
men. Generally speaking, the large firms are spread more widely across CMM territory than the
small companies. The biggest concentration of apparel manufacturers is situated in the Cité de
la mode (Chabanel district).
Women’s and girls’ wear — This is the largest sector. It comprises almost 200 companies, several
of which also make men’s and boys’ wear. A large proportion are small companies. Only about
twenty have over 100 employees. There is also a marked concentration of companies in this
sub-sector in the area of the Cité de la mode.
Underwear and swimwear manufacturers make up a large proportion of the biggest firms in this
sector. Les Maillots Baltex (1,000 employees), Lingerie Château (665 employees), Canadelle (600
employees) and Christina Amérique (550 employees) are some of the major employers. There
are also large manufacturers of women’s and girls’ wear other than swimwear, such as Ballin (500
employees), Samuelsohn (350 employees), and Jeno Neuman (370 employees).
Men’s and boys’ wear — There are a just over a hundred or so companies manufacturing men’s
and boys’ wear in the Montreal metropolitan area – almost half the number of companies making
women’s and girls’ wear. Nevertheless, the number of employees in each sub-sector is relatively
similar, which would indicate that there are more large companies in the men’s and boys’ wear
sub-sector.
Industrial Chain
The company Vêtement Peerless, with its some 2,000 employees, is a prime example. Other large
companies in the sub-sector are Tricot Main, Vêtements de sport Gildan, la Cie manufacturière
Jack Spratt, Lingerie Château, Ballin, Corporation de vêtements SFI, Vêtements S & F (Canada)
ltée and Samuelson. It should be noted that the companies in this sub-sector are less concentrated
around the Cité de la mode than those in the women’s and girls’ wear sub-sector.
Children’s wear and other specialized clothing — In this sub-sector there are about a hundred
companies manufacturing primarily baby clothes, technical sports apparel, technical work
apparel and specialized clothing for hospital use. There are very few large companies – barely a
dozen. Since they are each so different from one another, they are not concentrated in one area
but are spread across CMM territory.
Babies’ wear — Around twenty companies, small and medium-sized, specialize in manufacturing
clothes for babies. This market represents around 3% of the clothing market in Quebec.
Hosiery, socks and knitted clothes — This sub-sector includes about thirty companies inside
the Montreal metropolitan area. Some of them also have activities in other sectors. A dozen
companies employ more than 100 people.
Some of the largest hosiery and sock manufacturers are Manufacturier de Bas Iris, with nearly
1,000 employees, Canadelle, Doris Hosiery Mills Canada Ltd., and The Lamour Hosiery Mfg
Inc. In knitted clothing, one of the largest companies is Manufacture les Tricots dorés. Around a
dozen companies in this sub-sector are located in the vicinity of the Cité de la mode.
Other specialized clothes — Sport Maska Inc, hockey apparel manufacturer, and the Filmar
Ski Corporation, ski clothing manufacturer, are two of the largest specialist sports clothing
companies. North Safety Products Ltd. is one of the biggest technical work apparel companies.
Courey Inc. and Med-i-pant are key producers of absorbent clothing and hospital wear.
Clothing Accessories
This sub-sector includes mainly companies producing leather goods (bags, belts, braces and
shoes). They will be described later in this document.
Leather and Fur
Leather and fur form a sub-cluster parallel to the textile cluster. Unlike clothing manufacturers,
leather and fur manufacturers’ input is not derived from textile materials. Instead, their supplies
come directly from raw materials, i.e. animal pelt. They make finished products for retail sale.
Trapping activities make up the majority of the workforce in this sector. It is estimated there are
8,000 or so trappers in Quebec, but naturally they are not all present in the Montreal metropolitan
area! Trappers are seasonal and temporary workers and their activities are strictly regulated.
Around 2 million fur skins are produced on average each year in Canada, half of which come
from fur farms.
Industrial Chain
The leather and fur industries use the same raw materials. Tanning and finishing activities are,
however, specific to each industry, so the sub-cluster is divided into two sub-sectors: fur products
and leather goods.
Leather goods — There are only a few tanning companies in the metropolitan region. Tanning
activities are often integrated with the production of leather goods. There are thought to be
around forty leather products companies in the Montreal area. Their main products are belts,
straps, various types of cases and wallets, handbags and harnesses. Most of these products also
come under the heading of clothing accessories.
Fur products — The fur trade is without doubt one of the oldest trading activities in Canada,
along with agriculture and fishing, and Canada is still a world leader in this realm.
No less than 80% of Canada’s fur industry is situated in the Montreal metropolitan area, accounting
for close to 2,000 manufacturing jobs. There are about a hundred companies located on CMM
territory, mainly small businesses, concentrated in the fur district to the west of Bleury Street,
between De Maisonneuve Boulevard and Sainte-Catherine Street, in Montreal. Their activities
are highly integrated, ranging from finishing to the making and retailing of fur clothing.
Shoes — Shoemakers also fall into the category of leather goods manufacturers. However,
the majority of these manufacturers in the Montreal metropolitan area specialize in making
boots, mainly with manmade materials. There are about fifteen shoe and boot makers in the
metropolitan region.
Related Sectors
Perfume and cosmetics — The cosmetics industry is part of the personal care products sector, or
Toilet Preparation Manufacturing sector (NAICS 325620). It includes companies manufacturing
three types of products: personal hygiene products, perfumes and cosmetics.
Shampoos, hair-care, skin-care and bath products are all part of the personal hygiene products
family. Perfumes include all types of perfumes, toilet waters, and cologne waters. Cosmetics
include makeup and nail care products.
Quebec is home to around sixty cosmetics and beauty care product manufacturers. The vast
majority, around fifty companies, have their headquarters in Montreal and surrounding areas.
Several are large clients of the United States and their products are world-renowned.
By and large it is the European and US multinationals that set the fashions and the rules in this
sub-cluster. They dominate a significant share of the sector in Quebec, the rest being managed
by Quebec-owned SMBs.
Industrial Chain
The main players in personal care products in Quebec are L’Oréal Canada, Avon and Lise
Watier. There are around fifteen contract manufacturers in the province, including Laboratoire
Cosmépro, Laboratoire Du-Var Inc., Dermolab Cosmetics Ltd and MPL Cosmetics. Some of
them have their own manufacturing labels.
There are over 130 distributors of personal care products in Quebec.
The leading international manufacturers, including L’Oréal, Avon and Gillette, have the lion’s
share of the market. Several small companies share the remaining share and work, in many cases,
for large multinationals.
It is important to note that no studies exist that chart the current situation in Montreal’s personal
care products industry. According to the Canadian Cosmetic Association, the only precise data
available for the Montreal sector were collected and compiled by companies for marketing
reasons and were therefore not made public.
Jewellery, Gold and Silver —Quebec is home to a hundred or so jewellery makers. Their interests
are represented by the Quebec Jewellers’ Corporation, which comprises more than 250 associate
retail members and over 250 participating industrial members (manufacturers, wholesalers,
retailers, jewellers and clock makers by trade, and craftsmen).
Fashion and Distribution
On the fashion scene, business is focused more on the design and promotion of clothes than
on their manufacture. It could be said that this sector spans both the clothing manufacturing
industry and retail commerce. It is also increasingly concentrated in the hands of a limited
number of large international stakeholders.
There are three types of major players and order originators. First, the designers, who concentrate
on designing and marketing clothes and accessories under their own labels, and outsource the
production. Second, the manufacturers, whose primary business is to design, manufacture and
market clothes and accessories under their own labels or on behalf of others (including the
designers). Finally, the big retailers, who manage their own network of specialized stores and
develop their own brands.
The singularity of designers is to grant licenses to large manufacturers to produce and even
distribute their clothes and accessories. The large manufacturers also develop their own brand
names and sometimes manage a network of stores. Some also act as manufacturers of exclusive
(private) labels, which, although they remain the property of the group, are limited to exclusive
distribution in selected department stores or chains.
Fashion Design
The principal activity in the development of the clothing manufacturing sector is without a doubt
fashion design. Quebec companies dedicate on average 3% of their labour force to this activity,
which is integrated primarily in clothes manufacturing: in Montreal, design activities are mainly
Industrial Chain
done within clothing mills. An increasing number of retailers, however, are becoming involved
in design; they are creating their own lines of clothing and contracting out the manufacture
of these. The major labels, also key players on the international scene, do only the design and
promotion of selected lines of clothing and outsource their manufacture to subcontractors. These
companies are almost all multinationals with headquarters abroad.
Insufficient relations between designers and producers is a barrier to the expansion of the
Montreal fashion industry. For some, this lack of collaboration can be explained by fundamental
differences between the artistic visions of the creators and the more economical and practical
standpoint of the producers. The lack of cohesion between the two groups could even be the
reason why Quebec’s major labels do not figure on the top international fashion scene. It would
appear that manufacturers are focusing their production on major US labels and large retailers
rather than developing Quebec labels.
Several paths can be explored in an effort to improve collaboration between designers and
producers in Montreal. One example of a project along such lines is the Toronto Fashion Incubator,
set up by the City of Toronto, whose mandate is to promote and to stimulate the growth of the
fashion industry by helping new designers. It nurtures fashion entrepreneurs by analyzing their
needs, giving them access to subsidized studios, industrial equipment, showrooms and a resource
centre. The City of New York also has such an incubator. There has already been a past attempt
to set up a fashion incubator in Montreal, but the project fell through due to lack of funds.
Currently, it seems that there is no other viable major project to assist Montreal designers.
In addition, there is no association or organized group of designers in Montreal, which makes
it more difficult for designers to further their cause when dealing with governments or interest
groups. This is a weakness in a crucial sector of Montreal’s fashion industry. The clothing industry
today, in all developed countries, relies more than ever on fashion design. In this respect, the
Greater Montreal Area, which has no local fashion promotion program, registered a slight
reduction in employment levels in the clothing sector from 1991 to 2001, while the Greater
Toronto Area, which supports its local designers, maintained positive growth in this sector.
Brand names
The clothing market is characterized by a surge in the number of brand names or labels, which
consumers see as bringing added value to products. Both nationally and internationally, brand
names have cornered a large share of the market; in the United States, this share amounts to
approximately 30% of wholesale sales in the clothing sector. These labels are also backed by major
advertising and promotional campaigns. The smaller companies, which have brand development
strategies but tighter advertising budgets, are feeling threatened.
While the designer labels attempt to create value by reflecting a certain image or lifestyle, retailers’
private labels are more focused on price. These private brand names are in fact trademarks created
for the exclusive needs of a retailer. Some large chains carry their own design department and
manufacture their own products or have them made externally. Others buy exclusive clothing
ranges designed by manufacturers, to which they add their own logos. This approach, although it
reduces manufacturers’ marketing costs, makes suppliers invisible and reduces the available space
in-store for the manufacturers’ own brands. Clothes marketed under private labels represent
almost 40% of retail sales in Canada.
Industrial Chain
Two categories of product
Clothing products can be divided into two main categories: basic products and fashion products.
Each product is produced and distributed in a particular way. Basic products, for example, are
rarely affected by fashion trends and are brought out season after season with little variation.
Demand for such products is predictable and enables easier long-term production and distribution
planning.
Fashion products, on the other hand, vary from one season to the next and involve higher levels
of risk. Orders placed for collections are made at specific times of the year, and manufacturers
must leave some leeway for clients to reorder stock during the selling season if needed. The
lifespan of most of these products ranges from three to six months and is strongly influenced by
fashion trends.
Convenience, basic or standard products are often made in large quantities, while fashion
products rely on the production of short series of differentiated products. For basic products,
manufacturers seek to optimize inventory management and cost control, while for fashion
products they are increasingly using fashion design in the process of researching and developing
products.
Retail commerce
According to the MDERR, department stores (Sears, The Bay, etc.) and discount stores (WalMart, Zellers, Winners, Croteau, etc.) represent 43.7% of retail commerce in the clothing industry.
Clothing store chains (Simons, Fairweather, etc.) make up over one third of the market, while
independent clothes retailers (fewer than five stores) only represent 12.5%. The large retailers
therefore dominate the entire distribution chain of the apparel industry. More and more, they are
imposing their standards and are becoming true order originators.
As an additional note, retailers are becoming increasingly integrated in the textiles and apparel
production process. They often run their own mills or contract out their own collections for
manufacture. They are also producing household textiles such as curtains, carpets, etc.
Increased free trade, brought about by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA),
has contributed to important changes in retail commerce, making it easier for large US retailers
such as Gap, Costco and Wal-Mart to enter the Quebec market. Their arrival has, on the one
hand, led to the closure of a number of retail stores and, on the other hand, created new business
opportunities, especially for manufacturers of mass consumer products.
At the same time, NAFTA has enabled Quebec retailers such as Le Château, Aldo and Tristan
& America to start operating in the United States. These changes have caused a significant
rationalization of retail commerce and a high concentration of stakeholders, so that today 16
retailers generate 50% of clothing sales in Canada. The consolidation of the retail industry is
expected to continue, which will make the large stakeholders even larger and the small ones even
smaller.
Electronic commerce
The arrival of the Internet is democratizing inter-company trade. Companies can now
communicate and make transactions with their business partners online, a secure and costeffective way of enabling them to manage their affairs and their supply and distribution chains
more efficiently. It is difficult to anticipate all the effects that electronic commerce will have;
Industrial Chain
however, our review of documentation shows that it is a much-discussed topic in the apparel
industry.
Experts are divided on the real outlook for the development of sales of clothing online. For some,
Internet commerce in the clothing sector will always be limited by the fact that it is impossible to
try on clothes and by problems with returns and refund guarantees. For others, on the contrary,
electronic commerce has great development potential. Online clothes purchases are likely to
increase with secure payment methods, the resolving of disputes between distribution networks,
and technological advances. Today, however, online sales are made primarily through retailers’
vendor sites and mail-order specialists. Manufacturers are still hesitant about competing with
their traditional distribution network by selling directly to consumers.
It remains that the arrival of new technologies is causing increased mass personalization. This new
phenomenon, which opens up new market opportunities, can be split into three categories:
• Firstly, there is personalization whereby the consumer orders a standard product and has it
personalized according to his wishes (e.g. having a sweater printed).
• Then, there are alterations, where the consumer’s measurements are sent to the manufacturer
and each item of clothing is made individually according to these measurements.
• Finally, there is design, where the consumer is not only a part of the first two personalization
processes, but also participates electronically in the design and colouring of individually
produced clothes.
Trade fairs and events
The fashion sector can count on a number of key showcase events to show off its talents and
products. Montreal plays host to the majority of fashion events in Canada, including some that
are highly prestigious.
Expomode is without doubt Montreal’s biggest fashion event and the largest fashion industry show
in Canada. It attracts all the key players in women’s, men’s and children’s fashion, the accessories
manufacturers and the designers. The show, held over three days, includes 600 exhibition stands
and offers conferences, catwalk shows and presentations by well-known designers. It also attracts
some 6,000 buyers.
Liaison Mode Montréal organizes the annual Montreal Fashion Week, intended as a springboard
for young creators but which also presents established designers. The event features catwalk
shows and presents new collections. Also during the week there are various different seminars
organized on industry-related themes.
Sensation Mode presents each year the Montreal Fashion and Design Festival: four days of
shows highlighting the work of around thirty designers and manufacturers. The event takes
place on the Saint-Laurent Boulevard and brings together creators, models, musicians and artists
producing shows on the theme of innovative design. It takes place during the Canadian Formula
1 Grand Prix festivities.
Montreal is also host to the only trade fair for clothing industry suppliers in the country, the
National Apparel Technology Show (NATS). This event, organized by the Apparel Manufacturers
Institute of Quebec, is a meeting place for sewing companies, manufacturers and major suppliers
Industrial Chain
of technology, machinery, accessories, textile and related services. Visitors can participate in
conferences and workshops presented by renowned experts.
Fur and fashion — The North American Fur and Fashion exhibition in Montreal is the largest
trade show in the Canadian fashion industry and the only one in North America specifically
devoted to fur and fashion. It is also the fifth largest in the world. This fair is held every year at
Place Bonaventure and brings together some 200 exhibitors and 5,000 buyers.
Jewellery, gold and silver — The Quebec Jewellers’ Corporation organizes each year Expo
Prestige, an exhibition for retail jewellers, offering 250 stands.
Cosmetics and perfumes — Montreal is home to two industry events in the personal care
products sector: the International Congress of Applied Esthetics, held mid September, and
Esthétique SPA International, held end September.
Other international fairs related to this sector are held elsewhere in the world, the largest of
which is the HBA (Health & Beauty Aids) trade show, held in New York every 18 months. This
event attracts more than 500 exhibitors from across the world.
Development Factors
Development Factors
Research
R&D in the clothing sector is not oriented towards new products but towards manufacturing
methods and the use of more technical textiles. It is therefore highly dependent on research
carried out in the textile materials sector.
The Centre de transfert technologique de la mode (Centre of Fashion Technology Transfer),
a subsidiary of the LaSalle College Group, is the only establishment to offer research services
specifically for the apparel industry. It makes diagnoses of production facilities, establishes new
management methods and carries out planning and quality control. It supports companies
wishing to improve the quality of their products and productivity to stay competitive at local
and international levels.
Training
There are several vocational, technical or university training schools on CMM territory linked
to clothing manufacture. The Compétences 2000 school in Laval, the des Patriotes school in
Montérégie and the Métiers des Faubourgs-de-Montréal institute in Montreal all offer programs
in this field.
LaSalle College and the Cégep Marie-Victorin offer technical programs in fashion design and
clothing manufacture. The Cégep du Vieux-Montréal runs several programs in art trades related
to the apparel industry. Several private institutes such as the Académie internationale de design et
technologie (international design and technology academy) and the Institut supérieur du design
de mode (higher institute for fashion design) offer college-level training. The UQAM, along
with LaSalle College, offers university programs in fashion styling and design, fashion industry
management and fashion marketing.
In light of the structural changes expected in the clothing industry, new training needs are
very likely to emerge. These could be new training programs for functions directly linked to
production delocalization or to improving fast response time.
The Apparel Human Resources Council and the Comité sectoriel de main-d’œuvre de l’habillement
(clothing industry workforce sector committee) are also two organizations with a mission to
develop human resources and support continuing education within clothes manufacturing
companies. Their role is to promote the apparel industry and its careers to future workers.
Jewellery, gold and silver — Several vocational training programs exist in this field. The Métiers
du Sud-Ouest-de-Montréal school offers a vocational diploma (DEP) in jewellery making, and
the Cégep du Vieux-Montréal, in conjunction with the École de joaillerie de Montréal, runs a
program leading to an attestation of college studies.
Development Factors
Financing
As far as financing is concerned, textile-sector companies, as mentioned previously,
have the support of the Canadian Apparel and Textile Industries Program (CATIP),
administered regionally by CED in Quebec. The CATIP focuses on projects and
procedures that will help clothing companies adjust to new competition requirements.
It aims to strengthen marketing and product diversification strategies, to identify
burgeoning markets and to explore electronic business capabilities.
Government aid programs also exist for fashion design, such as tax credits and customs
duties rebates for designers. To this we can add the numerous modernization and export
support programs that fashion entrepreneurs have access to. Many designers apparently
do not use the tools at their disposal, however, because they lack the patience, time or
training to use them to their advantage.
Associations
The apparel industry is long-established in the Montreal metropolitan area and benefits
from many inter-relationships. There are many national and provincial associations of
clothing manufacturers, both for specific areas such as baby clothes and for more general
fields. The vast majority of these associations have their offices in Montreal.
Four main sector associations cover the apparel industries: the Quebec Clothing
Contractors’ Association (AECQ), the Children’s Apparel Manufacturers’ Association
(CAMA), the Fur Council of Canada (FCC) and the Apparel Manufacturers Institute of
Quebec (AMIQ).
The need for consensus in the industry led to the establishment of Liaison Mode
Montréal (LMM), whose mission is to combine the efforts of the four associations to
promote the whole apparel industry in domestic and foreign markets.
There are several other organizations, often with more specific missions, such as
the Apparel Human Resources Council, the Comité sectoriel de main-d’œuvre de
l’habillement (clothing industry workforce sector committee), the Canadian Fur Trade
Development Institute (CFDI), the Canadian Textile and Garment Council, the Centre
d’entreprises de mode de Montréal, the Fondation de la mode de Montréal, Liaison mode
Montréal, the Association des manufacturiers de vêtements pour hommes (MCMA),
Montreal Clothing Contractors Association (MCCA), the Quebec Council of Odd Pants
Employers (QCOP), and the Quebec Joint Council (from the Union of Needle Trade
and Industrial & Textile Employees).
Development Factors
Cosmetics and perfumes — Companies in the personal care products sector are represented
by a single association: the Canadian Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association (CCTFA),
which has over 200 member companies. The CCTFA is located in Mississauga, Ontario. Cluster
businesses can also count on the Quebec branch of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCC),
whose headquarters are in New York, to defend their interests.
Jewellery, gold and silver — This sector is represented by the Quebec Jewellers’ Corporation,
comprising jewellery makers and retailers. The Corporation displays its products at Canada’s
largest jewellery show, Expo Prestige, held every year at the Palais des congrès in Montréal.
Another annual showcase for jewellery and clock makers is the annual Montréal Salon des
métiers d’arts (art and craft trade show).
Agencies and Promotion
There are a number of modeling agencies in the Montreal area, in addition to casting agencies,
which also offer television- and film-related services. According to listings in Montreal directories,
there are about twenty modeling agencies on the CMM territory.
As far as promotions are concerned, Montreal Collections is a promotional banner for Quebec
clothing sector exporters in the US market. Created to increase the visibility of clothing products
from Quebec, this banner aims to help manufacturers and designers strengthen their presence
in this huge market.
Increasing Complexity
In the past, the textile and apparel industries were rigorously protected by quotas and customs
duties. Today, they are being hit head on by market globalization. Even though Quebec businesses
have, overall, done well under free trade with the United States, industry players do not necessarily
consider the multilateral liberalization of this sector to be beneficial. Competition from emerging
countries, whose labour costs are much lower, encourages the industry’s delocalization. Even if
it is always to companies’ advantage to keep their development activities (research, design and
marketing) at a domestic level, it is likely that a number of them will be tempted to carry out
their production in countries with the lowest salaries.
During the 1990s, the free trade agreements enabled textile and clothing manufacturers in
Quebec to increase their exports to the United States considerably. However, the situation took
a turn for the worse at the beginning of the 2000s: not only did the US tighten its protection
measures (USTDA 2002), but the Canadian dollar also rose. These two events led to a slowdown
in exports.
Complete abolition of duties
On January 1, 2002, the member countries of the WTO entered the last of four phases dismantling
the Multifibres Agreement. This agreement, which protected the markets of industrialized
countries against the mass invasion of products from low-cost countries, will be completely
abolished on January 1, 2005, eliminating at the same time all the quotas on imports of textile
products and apparel.
In 2003, Canada decided to accelerate the process in part by doing away with all its customs
duties and quotas for 49 low-income countries. Although most of these countries only make
up a small part of the world markets, some, like Bangladesh, have highly developed textile and
clothing industries, even in technical sectors. China, the world’s leading textile and apparel
exporter, which recently joined the WTO, is adding to this threat.
Mixed production strategies
The textile industry is being badly shaken, but historically it has always shown its ability to
adapt; once again, it will have to prove this ability. Inevitably, the industry will need to deal with
the growing trend of delocalizing production to low-cost countries. Competition based on price
alone will then no longer be enough to keep the industry going.
If they are to survive, companies will need to develop mixed production strategies, which will
include some local production and some subcontracting abroad. They will have to integrate new
technologies in their manufacturing processes. Some of these challenges include adapting to newgeneration pre-production software, adopting just-in-time manufacturing methods, improving
methods of analysis and sales forecasts, and setting up ways to optimize localization strategies.
The new products must be developed according to well-targeted clienteles. The industry must
invest more in developing strong brand names and high value-added products.
Job losses are to be expected, especially among low-skilled workers; however, the domestic
market will stay competitive in less labour-intensive sectors or those requiring special labour
skills, and the proximity of the US market is always an advantage for industry in Montreal.
Changes in the clothing sector
Traditional roles are also changing in the clothing sector. The large retailers are increasingly
dominating the market. They have their own design teams to develop, in whole or in part, exclusive
collections sold as private labels. They are thus becoming real order originators in this sector.
Some retailers own mills and have their collections manufactured by foreign subcontractors.
Conversely, clothing manufacturers are increasingly into retail, and are developing their own
distribution networks.
Technical Textiles
Technical textiles are of paramount importance to the future of the cluster (see following page).
Not only is this sector enjoying rapid growth, but it is also the least likely to suffer the adverse
effects of globalization. These textiles are better integrated in the rest of the economy and demand
for them is wider. They are much less likely to delocalize due to their high use of skilled labour
and the importance of their R&D activities.
Currently around sixty companies in Quebec are involved entirely or partly in the technical
textiles field, and employ over 3,000 people. Their production is estimated at $0.5 billon, or
over a quarter of manufacturing deliveries, which represents 40.75% of Canadian production of
textiles and non-woven industrial fabrics.
Technical textiles represent the cluster’s future. Technical textiles, functional textiles, industrial
textiles, smart textiles, geotextiles, engineering textiles and high-tech textiles all describe
this cutting-edge sector. Technical textiles come primarily from polymers such as polyester,
polypropylene, polyamide (nylon), viscose and even cotton or jute derivatives.
It is important to remember that the word ‘technical’ refers more to the know-how and
technologies that enable the use of these fibres in new industrial contexts such as aerospace,
defence, medicine, health, safety, transportation, construction and leisure.
The organizers of the largest world fair on technical textiles, named Techtextil, held each year
in Frankfurt, have divided technical textiles into 12 distinct categories. This taxonomy is used
widely by many international statistics firms and is often cited in specialized studies:
Agrotech — The fishery and agriculture sectors have always used textile materials for preserving,
grouping and stocking their products. Nowadays, modern materials are used — especially nonwovens — to improve the strength, lightweight and durability of traditionally used products and
for new applications. In this sector, many different applications now make use of new fibres (ropes
and nets, for example), and the replacement market is already mature. There are considerable
opportunities for specialized applications, however, such as fish farming equipment, and nonwoven textiles in agriculture.
Buildtech — In the building and construction industry, new textiles offer benefits with respect
to solidity, resilience and flexibility, as well as being lightweight. These modern textiles already
complement or replace some traditional materials in permanent constructions. They provide
economical solutions today for building temporary or semi-permanent structures. Asian
countries, where seismic risk must be taken into consideration in all construction, could make
great use of these new textile materials. However, the market seems to be currently very pricesensitive and relatively unstable.
Geotech — Geotextile applications represent one of the fastest–growing sectors, if not the fastestgrowing sector, in technical textiles. The North American market is showing signs of maturity,
but all the emerging countries, which are currently building their infrastructure, are going to
have significant needs in this area.
Sporttech — Demand is growing along with a worldwide interest in sport. New textiles are
increasingly present in sports equipment (manmade fibres and coating). The need for comfort
and safety is encouraging the development of new fibres or new applications for existing materials.
It is a promising, although still relatively small market.
Indutech — The industrial world already makes extensive use of technical textiles, which are
used in making all kinds of conveyor belts and filters, in polishing and cleaning, and in many
other processes. Demand is likely to remain high, with a probable increase of more than 4% per
year.
Medtech — The medical sector, like that of health and hygiene products, is growing strongly,
due to two main factors: the economic development of countries which are continuing to
catch up with the large industrialized countries, and the ageing of the population in the more
industrialized countries, whose health care needs are rising as a result. Included in the medical
sector are some extremely specialized applications with high added-value, but they are subject to
low volumes. Volumes of hygiene products are higher, but they concern products based on low
value non-wovens. Demand should increase in emerging countries, but it appears to be relatively
mature in the more industrialized countries, whose growth is not expected to develop strongly
over the next few years.
Clothtech — Most technical textiles used in the apparel industry (interfacing, sewing threads,
wadding, etc.) already require elaborate technology. Clothes manufacturers impose very strict
specifications on these textiles. This means that, while the fibres themselves are relatively
unsophisticated, their price-volume ratio is one of the highest in the technical textiles sector. It is
a market in which the share of non-wovens will grow and which will filled by a growing demand
for “high-performance” clothing fabrics.
Hometech — Textiles used in home furnishings and furniture have long been made of natural
fibres, but manmade textiles are rapidly becoming more popular, and demand is likely to grow
further, particularly in non-wovens. Demand is also strong for fireproof or flame retardant
textiles.
Mobiltech — Transport industry applications have spearheaded the development of technical
textiles. Their use in tire cords, flexible hoses and all kinds of belts in cars, boats and aircraft
(including exhaust collector actuating sleeves for rockets) is not growing as fast as it used to in
more technically advanced countries but is on the rise in the rest of the world. Having become
a major part of large-scale markets such as the automobile or aviation sectors, the manufacture
of technical textiles for these sectors is now increasingly exposed to economic cycles and erratic
consumer trends.
Oekotech — Environmental applications sometimes overlap with other sectors, as in the case
of filters for effluents or industrial dust. The boundaries are easier to trace when it comes to soil
erosion, permanent airtight storage of toxic materials or thermal insulation of buildings. Solving
problems relating to recycling and obtaining biodegradable materials are other development
channels in the oekotech category. Despite its rapid growth, this category has the smallest volume
and value for the whole technical textiles sector.
Packtech — Traditional textiles have always been used as packaging materials. Natural fibres
such as burlap or cotton are still widely used, but manmade fibres (especially polypropylenes)
have all but replaced traditional fibres in industrial usage. A new market has opened up with the
manufacture of large flexible containers called Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBC),
used increasingly for the transhipment of goods in ports, for example. Non-woven textiles are
now used in markets until now served by paper only, such as resistant or protective envelopes or
food-product packaging.
Protech — Technical textile applications in protective clothing (wherever there is a risk of fire,
electrocution, or contamination by liquids, gas or bacterial agents) and leisure apparel (for
protection, to keep warm/cool, to waterproof/aerate, all with minimal bulk and weight) have
offered exceptional market opportunities for a number of years now. Demand should remain
steady, particularly in the industrial sector. But the application of advances in sports apparel for
extreme conditions to everyday clothing should expand the market even further.
Fabric and Products Sub-cluster
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Interregional Links
Interregional Links
Elsewhere in Quebec
Once thriving, then declining, the textile sector today has to face major challenges that are forcing
it to redefine its role. Unrelenting pressure from countries with lower labour costs is forcing
stakeholders to turn increasingly towards niche markets such as technical textiles, whose twelve
categories offer many different possibilities for innovation. Although Quebec’s textile industry is
concentrated on CMM territory, the rest of the province is home to numerous support bodies in
R&D, training, integration of advanced technology and expertise.
Montérégie, the other textile champion
Around a quarter (24%) of Quebec’s textile production comes from Montérégie, which places
this region second in this sector, after Montreal. In fact, the six largest textile companies (over
500 employees) outside the CMM are based in Montérégie. Granby, Cowansville and SaintHyacinthe are the main regional sector hubs. With its 1,550 employees, Beaulieu (Acton Vale) is
the leading producer of carpets and rugs in Quebec and the biggest textile manufacturer outside
the CMM.
The Montérégie region also has many training and research centres. The Val-de-Cerf school
board (for the Granby and Cowansville areas) offers a vocational diploma for textile production
operators. The Des Patriotes vocational training centre gives training in the fashion industry
and the Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe offers three technical programs linked to textiles: textile
production technology and textile production management (continuing education). The Cégep
also created CTT Group, which houses the Centre for Textile Technologies, whose mission is to
improve productivity, R&D, and knowledge-sharing.
In partnership with the Centre géomatique du Québec (Quebec geomatic centre) in Chicoutimi
and the Centre des technologies des systèmes ordinés (computerized systems technology centre)
in Sainte-Thérèse, the CTT set up the Regroupement technologique pour les textiles intelligents
(technology group for smart textiles). This techno-commercial partnership aims at developing,
promoting and incorporating technologies and miniature electronic systems applications such
as remote transmitters, into textiles.
The offices of the Quebec chapter of the Canadian Association of Colourists are in SaintHyacinthe. This organization seeks to increase knowledge on the use of dyes and chemical
products in the textile industry, encourage research on chemical methods and on materials,
contribute to the spread of knowledge and ideas and back technical training in textile science.
Also in Montérégie are consulting firms like Groupe Textile, a Granby-based company whose
goal is to be an exchange and advice forum for the textile industry.
Quebec City, second fashion podium
In 1999, the Chaire pour la santé/sécurité au travail (Chair for health and safety in the workplace)
at Université Laval in Quebec City, published a research document entitled “La prise en charge
de la sécurité dans les petites enterprises des secteurs de l’habillement et de la fabrication de
produits en metal” (‘Taking charge of security in small businesses of the clothing sector and
metal products manufacturing sector’). Like Montreal, but on a smaller scale, Quebec City is a
choice setting for fashion industry promotion. Every August, the city hosts the “Plein Art” show,
Quebec City’s counterpart of the Salon des métiers d’art in Montreal.
Interregional Links
Specialized training in the Eastern Townships
The Eastern Townships are home to the Association des textiles des Cantons de l’Est (Eastern
Townships textiles association), part of CTT Group. In addition, the Department of Engineering
of the Université de Sherbrooke runs a program in mechanical engineering, useful training for
the technical textile industry.
Centre-du-Québec banks on technical textiles
The presence of promising new companies in applications relating to transportation, sports
articles, health and hygiene, construction and civil engineering is moving this region to explore
the emerging technical textile market under the Accord program. R&D and investment activities
have also intensified during the last few years, signifying that the sector is likely to become
stronger in this region.
The Accord (Action concertée de coopération régionale de développement) program was
created jointly by the Société générale de financement (SGF) and the Ministry of Economic
and Regional Development and Research (MDERR). The program aims to establish a regional
production system that is competitive in both North American and world markets, by identifying
and developing preferred markets of excellence in each region that can become those regions’
mark of distinction.
The Des Chênes school board in Drummondville offers vocational training possibilities for
textile production operators at its Paul-Rousseau training centre.
Chaudière-Appalaches focuses on industrial markets
Technical textiles for the industrial market make up the primary production of the companies in
the Chaudière-Appalaches region – in sectors as varied as manmade fibres (Filature Lemieux),
needle felt, geotextiles, non-wovens (ADS-Texel) and weaving of manmade fibres, as well as
wool blankets and fabrics (Victor Innovatex).
The Beauce-Etchemins school board offers vocational training in textile production operations.
As is the case throughout Quebec, this region suffers from the lack of several links in the textile
chain, for example equipment suppliers. Nevertheless, it considers itself a “determining partner”
of the Centre-du-Québec region under the Accord program in the technical textiles market.
Perceptions
Montréal
15
22
33
7
115
82
3
34
37
184
Other Textile Products
Narrow Fabrics
Dyeing and Finishing
Household Products
Hygiene Products
Wire
Sub Total :
Textile Related Products
Motor Vehicule Accessories
Other Product
Sub Total :
Total :
8,380
247
1,090
1,337
349
1,273
2,019
502
238
4,381
314
73
479
866
Montérigie
95
5
19
24
3
9
7
2
3
24
0
7
21
28
2
14
3
19
7,325
459
174
633
273
606
63
79
248
1,269
0
2,218
196
2,414
142
2,688
179
3,009
38
4
4
8
0
4
4
0
3
11
0
1
10
11
3
3
2
8
2,442
340
69
409
0
300
55
0
48
403
0
129
136
265
247
954
164
1,365
Employm. Centre du Québec
Companies Employm. Companies
Note : The list of manufacturing is based on the classification Des activités économiques du Québec (CAEQ)
Sources : Ministère des Finances et de la Recherche du Québec (MFER)
Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec (CRIQ)
6
1
23
30
Textile Products
Felts and processing
of natural Fibres
Carpets, Mats and Rugs
Canvas Products
Sub Total :
12
41
1,743
1,796
Compagnies Employm.
2
3
30
35
Textile Sectors
Primary Textiles
Manmade Fibers
Yarn and Woven Fabric
Knit Fabric
Sub total :
37
0
5
5
0
2
5
0
5
12
1
0
8
9
6
5
0
11
Companies
Estrie
Other regions
Total
2,405
0
62
62
0
179
60
0
410
649
215
0
184
399
802
493
0
1,295
31
1
6
7
1
2
4
0
4
11
0
0
6
6
0
6
1
7
2,281
59
187
246
71
23
973
0
413
1,480
0
0
49
49
0
411
95
506
131
1
28
29
4
8
24
1
1
38
3
3
51
57
2
2
3
7
2,378
11
332
343
256
220
284
6
25
791
121
32
499
652
291
246
55
592
516
14
96
110
23
47
77
10
21
178
10
12
119
141
15
33
39
87
Employm. Companies Employm. Companies Employm. Companies
Chaudière Appalaches
Quebec Textiles Industry
Regional Profile
25,211
1,116
1,914
3,030
949
2,601
3,454
587
1,382
8,973
650
2,452
1,543
4,645
1,494
4,833
2,236
8,563
Employm.
Strategic Elements
Strategic Elements
Challenges of Globalization
Globalization is the biggest challenge the Textiles and Clothing cluster has to face. With
the January 2005 deadline fast approaching, stakes are so high that industry players are
focusing all their attention on the issue and are giving it top priority. All eyes are fixed on
future foreign competitors. Montreal companies are seeking new competitive advantages
to exploit. They know that they will have to fight to retain their market share, both
on home ground and abroad. The future for some seems uncertain, and their survival
depends more than ever on innovation and on increasing their competitiveness.
Despite the importance of the globalization issue for the entire cluster, its two subclusters will have to adopt different strategies to meet the challenges involved. First,
the Fabric and Products sub-cluster must turn its attention towards innovating new
products. The accent should be placed on R&D and technical textiles opportunities.
Improving production methods and productivity is also an issue that should be
addressed, especially by producers of more traditional products. The textile products
sector must also strive to ensure the availability of skilled labour.
The Clothing and Fashion sub-cluster must concentrate more on innovating its
production methods, such as automated manufacturing. It needs to switch its
production jobs to design and marketing positions. To achieve this, the fashion design
industry should take on a larger role, and marketing strategies should be focused on
differentiating products and creating local brands.
Manufacturers of fabrics and textile products are going through a period of reorientation.
With looming threats posed by more open markets, every issue becomes critical. Some
of the challenges this sub-cluster needs to face are to increase R&D, focus more on the
manufacture of technical textiles, ensure the availability of a skilled workforce, combat
its negative image and adopt a market strategy.
Encourage Research and Development
Textile manufacturers must constantly adapt to innovation. Growth strategies need
to be changed and adjusted to new competitive requirements. Work methods are no
longer standard. Equipment needs to be renewed regularly. To contend with foreign
competition, companies in Quebec must continually offer new products and new
methods, which requires a strong commitment to R&D.
Industry-research partnerships in the sector appear to be particularly successful
already. Researchers in various fields (chemistry, nanotechnology, fibre conductivity,
biotechnology, etc.), offer new fibres to companies which, in turn, ask laboratories to find
them fibres and fabrics to meet their increasingly demanding, high-tech specifications.
This research dynamic is one of the strengths of the sector, whose future will depend on
how well it is maintained.
Strategic Elements
The internationalization of competition, both commercial and industrial, also keeps up constant
pressure on retail prices. If they want to stay in business, Quebec’s textile companies that
produce spun or woven fabrics with low added value and very low profit margins must commit
themselves to a program of continuous development, which will allow them to lower their costs
due to improvements in their methods. Such a renewal of production methods, which aims
to reduce costs, necessarily means investing in R&D. It is important that these investments be
continuous and permanent, rather than ad hoc. Fabric producers have everything to gain by
using an efficient monitoring system to guide them in their investments and enable them to stay
at the cutting edge of information on the most recent innovations and the best procedures to
follow.
Focus production on technical textiles
Technical textiles are of paramount importance to the future of the sub-cluster. Not only is
this sector enjoying rapid growth, but it is also the least likely to suffer the adverse effects of
globalization. Technical textiles are better integrated in the rest of the economy and demand
for them is wider. These businesses are much less subject to delocalization due to their high use
of skilled labour and the importance of their R&D activities. Future prospects for the different
technical outlets are outlined in the next section.
Ensure the availability of skilled labour
If it is to rise to the major challenges resulting from market globalization and accelerated
technological change, the textile industry must be able to rely on a skilled workforce. To ensure
constant gains in productivity, to innovate and to adapt quickly to change, the industry needs
broad-based capabilities that can evolve within a more flexible work model and that encourage
versatility, creativity and continuous improvement.
Overall, textile company managers are increasingly aware that human resources are their main
asset. In fact, the percentage of their investments devoted to training is estimated at 3.5%, which
is relatively good. Steps have been made in the right direction, but there is a long way to go to
reach goals related to added value and to ensure the arrival of a new generation of well-prepared
and motivated workers. Indeed, low interest by students for this industry and the poor choice of
competent, serious candidates for hiring are two factors for concern. Textile workers are getting
older and knowledge transfer is not always assured.
Combat the negative image and build an accurate profile of the situation
The textile sector’s current negative image has significant adverse effects on financing, on
morale in the industry and, of course, on recruiting new workers. While remaining cautious and
realistic, it is nonetheless important to draw up a fairer picture of the situation, to focus on a more
pointed analysis and to restore the balance of information. Indeed, the hardships experienced
by certain sectors of the textile industry in Quebec receive considerable media attention and are
presented as an overall picture to both the general public and the economic community, while
some eloquent examples of companies adapting to new commercial demands and evolving in
specific high-tech fields such as technical textiles are like well-kept secrets.
Probably the simplest and most effective way to improve the sector’s image would be to promote
its successes. This approach would be beneficial not only for the general public and the business
community, but also and especially for young people, who represent the cluster’s future. Problems
relating to image and recruitment are inextricably linked and cannot be resolved as separate issues.
Strategic Elements
Adopt a market strategy
The fabrics and textile products industry must engage in strategic alliances with foreign players.
For some products, it can also seek partnerships with “gate openers”, whose strong brands or
distribution areas can absorb production runs that are too long for Quebec or Canada.
The industry must also differentiate itself in market niches. Most of the time, new products
correspond to certain market niches. Also, countries with high labour costs, product differentiation
is a more effective strategy than one based on price competition.
Considering the relatively small size of the Canadian domestic market, the industry must rely
more on international commerce than on its own domestic market to grow and to justify major,
structuring investments. Exports must therefore play a central role, since they are almost always a
critical factor in a company’s development. Exporting their products allows them to reach critical
mass, expand their client base and counter trade offensives from other industrialized countries.
Other concerns
In addition to these main issues, there are other concerns at stake. The textile industry must,
among others, face up to the inadequate local availability of raw materials, equipment suppliers
and technology suppliers. These resources are currently imported, especially from Europe and
Japan, at a relatively high cost. Access to venture capital is still somewhat difficult. Emerging
markets offer few openings and there are no international agreements as yet for the mutual
recognition of technical standards.
Clothing and fashion
The clothing and fashion industry is anticipating negative consequences from the complete
opening of the markets. Several studies have been commissioned to estimate the effects of
globalization on employment in this sector. The Conseil régional de développement de l’Île de
Montréal (regional development council for the Island of Montreal – CRDÎM) conducted a study
on the subject for the Montreal administrative region in summer 2003. The Apparel Human
Resources Council also published, in winter 2004, a report on the question covering the industry
across Canada. The figures vary considerably from one study to another. If we are to believe
their estimates, the January 2005 shock will result in between 4,000 and 16,000 job losses in
the Montreal metropolitan area. Delocalization has therefore become a major concern for the
clothing industry.
Clothing and fashion companies in Montreal will need to adapt to this new reality. The main
challenges facing them lie in their capacity to modernize their manufacturing processes, improve
their skills, focus on design and distribution and adopt market strategies centred on exports and
product enhancement.
Modernize manufacturing processes
The apparel industry must accommodate a growing trend towards the delocalization of production
to low-cost countries. Local production will remain an advantage, however, for a certain number
of products. Many companies will also find it an advantage to develop a mixed production
strategy, including some local production and some outsourcing to foreign manufacturers.
Strategic Elements
If they are to maintain an acceptable level of competitiveness in the world market, local industries
will need to invest in modernizing their manufacturing processes. Local production must become
automated and more economical from a labour standpoint, if it is to remain cost-effective. To
achieve this, it must build on adapting to new generations of pre-production software (design,
pattern, grading and placement) and establish new production methods to allow just-in-time
manufacture, such as modular production. Other challenges that need to be met are improving
methods for analysis and sales forecasts and establishing ways to optimize production localization
strategies.
To encourage new manufacturing processes in the clothing industry, business leaders need to be
made aware of the importance of investing in R&D. A strategic monitoring system would also be
extremely useful to keep local businesses informed of recent innovations and best practices.
Improve skills
There is currently a shortage of skilled office workers with training in the clothing industry. The
industry’s poor image and its pay practices are detrimental to recruitment efforts. Training is
often inappropriate for supporting the launch of new operational models. Most companies do
not apply the best basic human resources practices to attract skilled employees for the current
context.
The use of information technology in the supply, production and distribution chains will increase,
which will bring the need to integrate new skills and new methods into company practices. The
industry must work with training centres to guarantee skilled labour that can not only master
current leading-edge technology, but also contribute to the design of new, more efficient tools.
The current profile of clothing industry workers and their working conditions are barriers to
modernization. Negative perceptions of working conditions in this sector affect the possibilities
of recruiting more skilled labour and decrease the chances of seeing innovations emerge out of
the workplace.
Focus on design and distribution
One of the greatest challenges facing the clothing and fashion sub-cluster will be to transform
blue-collar jobs, which may be delocalized, into white-collar positions. Production automation
and delocalization will have the effect of lowering the number of workers assigned to production.
From another standpoint, the integration of design and distribution activities into the production
chain will enable the creation of new jobs.
Distribution networks are seeking to improve their supply management with the aim of
increasing efficiency in a strongly competitive context; this requires close partnership ties and
the sharing of strategic information between retailers and suppliers, and between suppliers and
subcontractors. In creating such ties, the networks are linking product development to retail sale.
Through integration, local distribution networks are expanding and could become ideal vectors
for increasing exports.
Design activities are also a way to secure the future of Montreal’s fashion industry. There are
currently no local labels or large design companies that are internationally known, and links
between designers and manufacturers here are poorly developed.
Relational Assets
Relational Assets
Breaking Down Barriers
It is clear, from reading the first part of this document, that the “Textiles and Clothing” cluster
is quite fragmented, which does nothing to facilitate exchange and discussion among industry
players.
To this should be added the fact that Quebec’s textile industry is largely controlled by foreign
interests. More than 50% of earning assets in this sector belong to US or European groups.
Third important element: the unanimous opinion of those consulted is that there is a complete
wall between the decision-makers of the two sub-clusters, “Fabrics and Products” and “Clothing
and Fashion”. Both industry players and their respective partners believe that the two sectors
each have their own development forces and that they belong to two separate worlds.
Share the challenges
Despite the challenges of globalization, the stakeholders of the two sub-clusters do not feel the
need to show solidarity. There are no links between them and they both prefer to leave things
that way. The issue of quotas “that protect one industry at the expense of the other” increases this
lack of understanding and the feeling of each sub-cluster that it has to deal with sets of rules that
are not only different, but unfair. Some go as far as saying that no links will ever be possible, and
the two sides still avoid sitting at the same tables.
Within each of these sub-clusters, however, mentalities are changing and industrialists are forging
ties among themselves and with certain development partners. The threat of stiff competition is
moving them to set up common strategies and to identify specific targets. The development of
technical textiles is also a factor in breaking down sectoral barriers. The “Fabrics and Products”
sub-cluster, which already has ties with other industry clusters such as forestry products (pulp
and paper), petrochemicals (plastics) and aerospace, is tending to strengthen those ties to the
point where we will soon be able to refer to cross-sector alliances.
These budding relations among industries, training institutes, unions and financing bodies
need to be intensified; however, they are compromised by lack of optimism for the future. This
situation means industry needs are ill-understood at a critical time where rapid adjustments
must be made, as dictated by the acceleration of technological advances and by the opening of
the markets.
The establishment of the Table de concertation de l’industrie textile (textile industry consultation
committee) is admittedly a step in the right direction, especially since industry players have
accepted to be a part of this committee to develop a common vision, whether it be to share
the same analysis of a situation or to identify agreed courses of action to rise to today’s biggest
challenges.
Furthermore, the work carried out at the beginning of the year by the Comité sectoriel de
l’industrie textile du Québec (Quebec textile industry sector committee), leading to a provincial
analysis of the textile sector, built up a clear picture of the situation and identified the issues at
stake with respect to human resources. Last June, the key players in the sub-cluster agreed to
Relational Assets
participate in an exploratory conference whose goal was to adopt a plan of action to improve the
following: a common and modern vision for the sector, cooperation between decision-makers,
basic training, continued skills development and planning for the new generation of workers.
The result of this strategic reflection was presented last June 16 at the industry consultation
committee and provides inspiration in turn for the industry’s choice of priorities.
Develop a new generation of workers
To go with added value and concentrate entirely on new technical textile opportunities, it is
important to be able to count on a motivated and well-trained workforce. But there is no new
generation of workers, and the ageing of the current workforce may worsen the situation. Despite
these factors, industries and training institutes have not yet expended all their efforts to attract
new candidates, enrich skills or facilitate the labour force’s adaptation to change.
Schools and colleges deplore business leaders’ lack of commitment at a time when a well-planned
offensive could make all the difference. The companies retort that the training establishments are
unable to respond efficiently to their needs. All the while, hiring standards are being lowered and
no longer require a high school diploma to fill vacant positions, and the institutions are unable to
start or continue their textile programs due to insufficient students. During their summer 2004
deliberations, the Textile stakeholders did however identify strategic actions to strive against this
vicious circle.
The majority of them believe that the recruitment of students is currently the main concern
and that the training offer can be clarified once the students are back again. The recruitment
problem is closely linked to the sector’s image. So this problem needs to be addressed in priority
by uniting efforts to increase awareness among target groups.
Offer shorter and more specialized training
Furthermore, industrialists and training institutions both agree on the need to innovate with
shorter but more specialized training programs. Businesses agree to become more involved by
helping with internships or work study programs.
Plans are even afoot to work with the ministries concerned (Emploi Québec, Human Resources
Canada) and the unions to facilitate workers’ access to skills development, by making use of
slower periods or temporary work stoppages.
Clearly, the flexibility of management practices, employment-related measures and training
programs must be improved in order to adapt quickly and effectively to the current situation.
In the “Clothing and Fashion” sub-cluster things are changing too, thanks to consultations
recently held with control groups to identify the industry’s needs. Even if certain reservations
persist, closer ties are being forged between training institutions and industry. The Groupe
Affinité, created through an initiative of the Association of Community Colleges, is a clear
example of this. The Collège Lasalle, Cégep Marie-Victorin and École des métiers des Faubourgs
de Montréal are representatives of this group.
Much work remains to be done and the industries are not yet convinced of the training institutions’
capacities to respond to their needs. This no doubt explains why companies continue to train
Relational Assets
employees internally. Businesses are not open to internships either, even if they concede that this
approach would allow their sector of activity more exposure and would probably contribute to
changing people’s attitudes.
Such little harmonization hampers efforts to improve the situation, while labour shortages are
already being felt in some areas. For example, companies are crying out for pattern makers
but there simply aren’t enough of them. The same situation applies to positions in logistics or
shipping management.
Industries deplore the time scales set by the Ministry of Education for the modification of training
programs. Just-in-time, quality control, IT management and market launches are still not part
of course curricula, but mastering these techniques is becoming a priority for the industries.
Bureaucracy, much more cumbersome here than in other provinces, is being criticized.
Encourage union-management dialogue
It would also be beneficial to encourage more sustained dialogue between management and the
unions. According to the unions, there seem to be two management models in operation. In
the first model, managers are willing to adopt more motivating human resources management
practices, which would help adopt more flexible work organization models and encourage
unions to act as partners for change. The second model is traditional; the power relationships
are more rigid, management wants to impose new cost-reduction methods, and multitasking is
thereby synonymous with loss of acquired rights for the unions, who do not see the long-term
job protection that improvements in manufacturing processes can bring. Profound mistrust
between both parties does not allow for reasonable analysis of the issues at stake, nor for the
adoption of models founded on continued improvement.
In the case of clothing and apparel, unions are themselves undergoing fundamental restructuring,
which prevents them from fully playing their role as partners in work reorganization. Their
membership has fallen and is likely to continue to do so, since the average age of workers in this
sub-cluster is 47 years.
In addition, the order issued five years ago has slowed unionization. Internal wars are being
waged. One example of this is the women’s clothing and men’s clothing unions, which have been
merged for a long time but are still not fully integrated.
Raise awareness among financers and investors on the changes underway
Many financing companies and development organizations are pessimistic about the future of
the sector and are hesitant to back it right away. Industries deplore the fact that these institutions
only have a global vision of the “Textiles and Clothing” cluster, which prevents them from seeing
the potential of certain value-added sectors or the technical textiles sector. One of the priorities
of the textile industry consultation committee is therefore to give partners a full and detailed
account of the situation.
A number of players in the “Clothing and Fashion” sub-cluster seem to want to lead the same
type of campaign, even if they have not yet organized any focus groups on the question. In
each case, they point to the number of jobs at stake and the history of a cluster that has always
displayed a capacity to adapt to change through different economic cycles, which helps provide
a clearer, more lucid view of a changing industry.
Avenues for Growth
Avenues for Growth
Two Segments, Two Speeds
The emerging sector of technical textiles is opening numerous growth channels for the fabrics
and products cluster. R&D, which fuels the sector with new materials and products, guarantees
the renewal of production in more promising areas.
In the clothing and fashion field, Montreal’s industry is in a more precarious situation. Future
avenues such as design and distribution network integration are still out of local hands. Since
it did not focus on these issues earlier, Montreal’s industry now finds itself having to sign
agreements with large international designers and foreign distribution networks to guarantee its
production.
The following text is an overview of the different avenues open to the cluster. The paragraph
relating to fabrics and products is more detailed as there are more possibilities and more
information available for this sector. Moreover, the synergy between the two sub-clusters needs
to be developed. Many outlets for technical textiles also directly affect the clothing and fashion
branch. For example, protective, sports and other technical apparel rely both on technical textiles
and on clothes manufacturing. In this case, even if the avenues for technical textiles apply more
to fabrics and products, we should bear in mind that they also represent a future for clothing and
fashion.
Fabrics and products
Manufacturing of fabrics and textile products has slowed across the board during the last few
years; however, the sector of non-wovens has managed to maintain its position on the domestic
and international markets. It is one of the most promising sectors for the industry’s future.
Technological advances in spun fabrics could also be a channel for future growth. Montreal’s
history as a producer of knitted fabrics can also work to its advantage.
Non-wovens — Unlike other textile materials, Canadian imports of felts and non-woven fabrics
come almost exclusively from developed countries (United States, Europe, Japan). Quebec can
play its cards with its own competitors, whose production restrictions are similar, for example in
thermal spinning composites and thermal blowing of chemical filaments, such as non-wovens
made via air or hydraulic methods. Industries in Quebec can also watch developments in this
non-wovens sector and look for future market opportunities.
Almost all North American production of non-wovens is currently geared towards the
manufacture of short-term applications for the health and medical care, wiping, filtration and
industrial production markets. However, there is more to this sector, which includes a whole
family of staple fibre non-wovens for long-term applications. These include geotextiles and
agrotextiles, fabrics for car interiors, plastics reinforcements, floor coverings and backing
coatings. This sector is expanding and offers an extraordinary variety of products.
Spun yarns — Although Quebec produces little in this field, there have been a number of new
openings recently. Industrial hemp has been rediscovered; its flexibility and resistance look
promising for construction applications. Textile recovery programs are being developed. At
the cutting edge of biotechnology, a Montreal firm is attempting to regenerate the exceptional
Avenues for Growth
properties of spider silk by fixing the properties in goat’s milk protein. The NAFTA has allowed
Canada to become the first foreign supplier of spun yarns and chemical fibres to the United States.
As US spinning mills are abandoning this sector in favour of cotton, this could give Quebec the
opportunity to increase its presence there.
Knitted fabrics — Quebec manufacturers are reputed for their creativity and innovation in this
sector. In fact, they account for over 90% of Canada’s production and exports of knitwear. These
products are almost entirely destined for the clothing industry. The industry has been hit hard
by the delocalization of clothing manufacturing firms and the opening of the markets, but its
traditional vitality and know-how could help it to promptly reposition itself.
Technical textiles
Until now, Quebec’s textile industry had focused primarily on producing mainly aesthetic and
functional materials for traditional markets such as clothing and interior decorating. Thanks
to the NAFTA, this strategy has been relatively profitable up to now. Today, however, it seems
that the industry needs to take a different course. Technical textiles are now the most promising
guarantors of the industry’s growth. In this respect, Quebec has a critical mass of fabric
producers, which will allow the province to make the adjustment more easily to new technical
and commercial applications requiring advanced materials.
A recent study carried out by Fintex and Groupe Textile proposes five avenues for growth in the
technical textiles field. They are textiles for use in protection applications, industrial textiles,
textiles used for making sports and leisure equipment and apparel, textiles developed for the
transportation industry and textiles with medical and healthcare applications. The following text
summarizes the study’s arguments in favour of these five future growth channels.
Safety textiles — Several products in the safety and protection field constitute a protected market
in which local firms are preferred suppliers. Uniforms for emergency services show especially
good growth potential; these include police, firefighter and military uniforms. Uniforms
providing ballistic protection or protection against cutting or stabbing weapons are expected to
occupy an increasing market share, especially in the correctional services field. Technologies used
to manufacture non-wovens or composites, and the incorporation of intelligent or interactive
systems into textiles will be in greater demand. Several local textile firms, considered industry
leaders, are already at an advantage in this sector.
Industrial textiles — The growing concerns of the population in Montreal with regard to
household, industrial, air and water pollution, create extremely interesting opportunities for
the filtration market. In fact, the use of filtration products is growing, primarily in applications
relating to the filtration of contaminated air, waste water or various industrial liquids. Belts and
filter membranes will be used increasingly by the pulp and paper industry and the transportation
industry respectively. Industrial absorbents and abrasives are also interesting markets.
Manufacturing technologies for non-wovens and composites or for plasma processing are used
commercially in this sector and are becoming increasingly a factor. Some local companies appear
to have acquired good skills in this field already.
Sports and leisure textiles — Outdoor activities and extreme sports are becoming increasingly
popular. These activities often require specialized material and make up very lucrative markets.
In fact, they have hardly any competition. These markets incite the development of specific textile
Avenues for Growth
materials such as luminous night apparel, light composite sports equipment, or sports apparel
with enhanced comfort properties.
Technologies such as the manufacture of non-wovens or composites and the incorporation
of smart or interactive systems will also be required in this sector. As previously mentioned,
some local companies are already at an advantage when it comes to these types of production
procedures.
Transportation textiles — There are new applications for modern textiles in the aerospace,
automobile, tire and other transportation materials industries. Generally, in these sectors,
continued efforts are made for the development and use of lighter-weight parts. Composites
reinforced with textiles are good candidates for such applications. They combine solidity with
light weight while respecting reliability and safety criteria. Current trends in the automobile
market also include a combination of improvements for luxury fabrics with simple lines and
minimum decorative features. These products should lead to more comfort, durability, resistance
to stains and humidity, as well as improved odour control.
As with the other technical outlets, manufacturing technologies for non-wovens and composites,
combined with plasma processing, will be increasingly used in this sector. These procedures will
be centred on the production of parts and other lightweight components that possess enhanced
structural cohesion.
Healthcare textiles — There are already several companies in Quebec specialized in this
sector. Competition is stiff, however, and the market is dominated by large US firms. Local
industry therefore has to show resourcefulness, innovation and leadership if wants to remain
competitive.
Quebec companies are primarily involved in the market for external textiles of a highly varied
nature such as surgeons’ aprons, bed sheets, sterile wipes, masks, caps and shoe covers, dressings
for wounds, prep pads, disposable sheets for surgery, medical tape, bedcovers, multilayer gloves,
emergency blankets, compresses, etc.
Of all the sectors, the medical and sector is the most likely to profit from technologies such as the
manufacture of non-wovens or composites, the incorporation of smart or interactive systems,
and plasma processing.
Clothing and fashion
In addition to the future channels created by new technical opportunities in the clothing
sector, there are other expansion possibilities for the industry. We have already mentioned the
importance of focusing on design and distribution. In this respect, however, local control is
insufficient. If they do not develop their own labels, lines of clothing and distribution networks,
local manufacturers must come to agreements with foreign order originators to guarantee their
production. A strategic alliance with a “door opener”, who gives access to a market or a label or
both, is therefore an interesting option.
The future avenues for the growth of the clothing and fashion industry in Montreal are also a
part of Montreal’s strategic strengths. For example, the quick response and small quantity needs
of the nearest geographical markets, the proximity of the US market and the opening of new
markets all represent good development opportunities.
Appendices
Appendices
Sources
Studies and analyses
La filière industrielle de l’habillement au Québec, Enjeux, tendances et perspectives de développement
[The Clothing Industry in Quebec: Issues, Trends and Development Outlook], Quebec, MDERR,
Direction des biens de consommation, October 2003.
L’industrie montréalaise du vêtement et de la mode : Les défis à court terme et les mesures pour
les surmonter [Montreal’s Clothing and Fashion Industry: Short-term Challenges and How to
Respond], Charest, Caroline, Hamel, Judith et Vaillancourt, François, study conducted for the
Conseil régional de développement de l’Île de Montréal and the Ville de Montréal, September
2003.
Le vêtement au Canada : Perspectives d’avenir, [Clothing in Canada: Outlook for the Future],
Apparel Human Resources Council, Labour market study prepared by Richter Conseil, March
2004.
La filière industrielle des textiles au Québec : Enjeux, tendances et perspectives [The Clothing
Industry in Quebec: Issues, Trends and Development Outlook], Ministère du développement
économique et régional et de la recherche (MDERR), Quebec, 2003
L’industrie québécoise des produits de soin personnel, Profil industriel [The Personal Hygiene
Products Industry in Quebec, Industrial Profile], Ministère du développement économique et
régional et de la recherche (MDERR), under the direction of Clément Drolet, Direction des
industries chimiques et de la métallurgie (Chemicals and Metals Industry), Quebec, 2003.
Diagnostic provincial pour le secteur textile [Provincial Diagnostic for the Textile Sector], Comité
sectoriel de main-d’œuvre de l’industrie textile du Québec, Bell Nordic/IPSÉ, December 2003
Conférence exploratoire du 1er juin 2004 [Exploratory Conference of June 1, 2004], ConsensusAction for the Textile Sector, Institute for Socio-economic Progress, May 2004
Conférence exploratoire du 1er juin 2004 [Exploratory Conference of June 1, 2004], Minutes,
Consensus-Action for the Textile Sector, Institute for Socio-economic Progress, August 2004
La nouvelle économie textile au Québec, les secteurs de développement [Quebec’s New Textile
Economy, development sectors], Richard Cormier, Fintex mécanique et procédés/Groupe textile,
2002
Appendices
Technical Support from the Ministries Involved
Marie-Annick Drouin, ministère du Développement économique et régional et de la Recherche
(MDERR)
Lise Grenier, ministère du Développement économique et régional et de la Recherche
(MDERR)
Christian Champagne, ministère du Développement économique et régional et de la Recherche
(MDERR)
Individuals Consulted
Jean Rivard, Advisor, Apparel Human Resources Council
Diane Savard, Advisor, Emploi Québec
Paul Legault, Director General, Comité sectoriel de main-d’œuvre de l’industrie textile du
Québec
Richard Cormier, CTT Group, Table de concertation de l’industrie textile du Québec
Gérard Lombard, Director, Textile Department, Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe
Appendices
Credits
Editorial Director Michel Lefèvre
Research and Marie-Eve Fortin
Copywriting Jean-Philippe Meloche
Research Assistants Jean-Pierre Meloche
Charles-Albert Ramsay
Julie Ranger
Language Editing Frédéric Simmonot
Dominique Chichera
Graphic Design Pascale Detandt
Metropolitan Cluster Technical Committee
Michel-Marie Bellemare
Economist – Regional Policy,
Ministère du Développement économique et régional et de la Recherche
Daniel-Joseph Chapdelaine
Advisor – City Planning and Institutional Relations,
Ministère des Affaires municipales, du Sport et du Loisir
Yves Charette
Coordinator – Economic Development,
André Gagnon
Advisor – Industrial File Development,
Ministère du Développement économique et régional et de la Recherche
Michel Lefèvre
Advisor – Economic Development,
Christine Phaneuf
Advisor – Local and Regional Development,
Ramata Sanogo
Economist – City Planning and Institutional Relations,
Francine Rivard
Director – Regional Development Coordination,
Société générale de financement du Québec

Textiles and Clothing Cluster - Communauté métropolitaine de

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