Coordinated Asia-Pacific textile strategy proposed

Atif Ikram Sheikh, who heads FPCCI and ECO-CCI and serves as CACCI Vice President, has urged a joint Asia-Pacific plan to strengthen the regional textile sector. Speaking from Pakistan's standpoint during a CACCI webinar, he argued that such a strategy should raise competitiveness and lift the region's presence in world markets. The Express Tribune reported that he also praised CACCI as a valuable regional forum for trade cooperation and economic growth.

Sheikh cited forecasts that put the global textile market at $4.27 trillion by 2035, compared with $2.12 trillion in 2025. Asia-Pacific, holding about 53% of that market, is forecast to reach $2.33 trillion, up from $1.14 trillion. He also noted that the sector provides jobs to roughly 100 million people, a figure that climbs to 430 million once fashion and apparel are counted.

The sector, Sheikh added, contributes about 2% of global GDP. China on its own accounts for roughly 32% of worldwide textile exports. These figures formed the backdrop to his call for a coordinated regional approach.