Employment in textiles, wearing apparel, and leather products in the Netherlands has shown a steady decline over the past decade. From 2013 to 2019, the employment level remained stable at 12,000 units; however, the sector began to experience a downturn from 2020 onwards, dropping to 11,000 units and remaining constant till 2023. The last five years exhibited a negative compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -1.73%, hinting at declining employment trends. Forecasts for 2024 onwards indicate a further decrease to 10,000 units by 2025, persisting through 2028, with a five-year forecasted CAGR of -1.89%, culminating in a projected overall decline of 9.09% by 2028.
Future trends to watch for:
- Automation and technological advancements reducing manual labor demand.
- Increased emphasis on sustainable and ethically produced textiles possibly influencing employment structures.
- Global economic scenarios impacting trade policies and labor costs, which could affect the local textile employment market.
