Evaluating Sustainability of Textiles in Europe ... - Blockshome.com

The Australian ContextA The Brief continued History reviews of the that Industry took place over the past three decades have led tosignificant restructuring of the industry. These changes (particularly the removal ofThe continued reviews that took place over the past three decades have led toprotection) have seen a significant reduction in Australian manufacturing and as asignificant restructuring of the industry. These changes (particularly the removal ofconsequence an increase in imported TCF goods into Australia.The continued reviews that took place over the past three decades have led to significant restructuringof the industry. These changes (particularly the removal of protection) have seen a significant reductionin protection) Australian manufacturing have seen a and significant as a consequence reduction an in increase Australian in imported manufacturing TCF goods and into as Australia. aconsequence an increase in imported TCF goods into Australia.The industry industry the in early the 1990s early can 1990s be described can as described following a as standard following supply a chain standard schematic supply witha chain The series industry schematic of stand-alone in the with sectors. early a series 1990s of can stand-alone be described sectors. as following a standard supplychain schematic with a series of stand-alone sectors.Standard supply chain schematicIndustry policy in the form of reduced protection led to the closure of much of theIndustry early stages policy policy in inof the thethese form formsupply of reduced of reducedchains. protection protectionBy 2005 led to ledmost the to closure the closureof this of restructuring much of of much the early of thehad stages taken ofthese earlyplace supply stagesand there chains. of theseare By 2005 supplyonly most chains.a few of yarn this restructuring By 2005 mostproducers had ofand taken thisknitters/weavers place restructuring and there had are takenplace and there are only a few yarn producers and knitters/weavers left in left onlyAustralia in Australia a few yarnproducers today. The andindustry knitters/weavershas has followed followed left in Australiathe the value-add value-add today. Themodel model industrythat that has followedpredicts predicts thefirst world first value-add world modelTCF TCFthat predictscountries will first worldexit TCFlabour-intensive countries will exitcommodity commodity labour-intensiveearly-stage early-stage commodityproduction production early-stage productionand move and move andmove towardstowards value valueadding addingthrough throughbrand brand andand innovation.innovation.8 from Flexible Supply Chain – Australian Market 2008, Flaneur, Melbourne the the industry is still is adapting still adapting to significant to significant change, both change, in terms both of in offshore terms cost of offshore competition andcontinuing cost competition product and and production continuing innovation. product Against and production this environment innovation. of high change, Against the this Australianindustry However, environment is dominated the of industry high by small change, is still and adapting the medium Australian sized to significant enterprises industry change, with is dominated consequent both in by limits terms small to their of and offshore individualcapacity cost medium competition to sized invest enterprises in innovation and continuing with and consequent change. product This limits fragmented and to production their industry individual structure innovation. capacity is central to Against invest to both neartermenvironment in innovation responsiveness and of high change. (through change, This the actions fragmented the of Australian individual industry enterprises), industry structure is but is dominated central it also to restricts both by near-concentrated small andthisinvestment mediumterm responsivenesssized in industry-wide enterprises(through collaboration withtheconsequent for actions long-term oflimits thinking, individualto their research, enterprises),individual innovation capacitybut and change. alsoto investrestricts concentrated investment in industry-wide collaboration for long-termin innovation and change. This fragmented industry structure is central to both neartermresponsiveness (through the actions of individual enterprises), but it alsothinking, research, innovation and change.restricts concentrated investment in industry-wide collaboration for long-term 9thinking, research, innovation and change.ISS Report Part 1 9/9