t will always be an ever-changing sector, somebody once said! Constant challenges have given us a level of agility where strategy and experience clearly make the difference. That’s the way the Portuguese Textile and Clothing Industry (TCI) – full of challenges, constant changes and adapting to the national and international contexts – is responding clearly and unequivocally to all solicitations.

Which challenges or paradigms await the industry next?

Are we conscious of the imminence of the innumerous changes coming, to which we should counter with an agile and quick response?

The Global Fashion Agenda, signed by more than 90 companies, which represent many renowned clothing brands (Adidas, Decathlon, Gap Inc., H&M, Hugo Boss, Inditex, Kering, Lacoste, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, and others), defines very tangible goals that one should reach by 2020. This agreement represents 12,5% of the global fashion market and determines a set of measures for circularity.

The essence of this agreement can be summed into four points of action:

1. Implementing design strategies for circularity;
2. Increase the collected clothing and shoe wear volume;
3. Increase the sales volume of (re)used clothing and shoe wear;
4. Increase the clothing and shoe wear production from recycled raw material.

Is the Portuguese TCI ready to respond to the challenges clients will bring within a short period of time?

Let us analyse another paradigm: manufacture digitalization, virtualization, robotics, industry 4.0, block chain and new business models.

What commitment shall we have in the near future?

Advanced production technologies, augmented reality, simulation and virtualization of processes and products, management and data analysis, cyber security… These are new and bold steps to become more competitive, flexible, productive and efficient in order to address issues of transparency and traceability, which become even more important in these new paradigms.

Moreover, there’s still the matter of skill. Which new profiles are expected for the TCI? Which new jobs will be created and what changes will occur in the current ones?

Will we have to be more digital? More circular and sustainable? More chemical engineers, physicists, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers will be needed? Perhaps it’s an interdisciplinary team with all of these and other skills and competencies that will enable us to respond to all these challenges.

Another aspect, not any less important, needs to be reinforced. I’m talking about strategic partnerships, cooperative work, leading to the development of new chains of value around the TCI, strengthening the excellence we’re known for. I stress, in particular, the skills centres, universities, clusters, associations, public authorities, as well as other players gravitating around this sector.

In conclusion: in times of constant change, we will be clearly stimulated to find answers to the challenges placed upon us – since adversity brings wisdom, as the famous Vietnamese proverb warns us.