General overview and key figures

In Midi-Pyrenees, textiles are a traditional industry , which emerged in 15th century, and saw significant development in the 19th century, with regional specialization in wool processing .  

In spite of serious drops in personnel ver the last fifty years, our region maintains the 4th most important cluster of textile businesses in France  after Rhone-Alpes, le Nord-Pas de Calais and Champagne-Ardennes, and the leading French center for carded yarn and wool fabrics . 

As of 01/01/2005, jobs in the sectors of textile, clothing and leather goods totaled 7,760 permanent employees including 4,418 in textiles, with the breakdown per administrative Department as follows (source: ASSEDIC) : 

Departments

Jobs

Tarn

2,126
Ariege

1,716
Haute-Garonne

   231
Other Departments in Midi-Pyrenees

   345
TOTAL

4,418

Regional textile operations concentrate (87% of jobs) in 2 zones : Pays d'Olmes (Ariege) and southern Tarn (Castres-Mazamet employment pool) with different characteristics for each zones:

  • Pays d'Olmes is an area of small businesses working essentially for major local prime contractors.
  • southern Tarn has numerous small and medium sized companies working in spinning, weaving, and dry filling, as well as some companies in the knitting industry.

The textile industry of Midi-Pyrenees integrates all aspects of the sector: dewooling, spinning, slay and pick weaving, knit goods and dry-filling.

 

In 2004, all businesses in the sector generated sales of €523M which breaks down as follows (source: UIT SUD) :

Sectors 

Sales (M€)

Quantities 
Spinning

  18

3,380 tons

Weaving, made up of:
- clothing production
- autres tissus (dont automobile...) 


253
195


29,084 km
67,094 (1000 m2)
Dry filling

  57

13,391 tons
TOTAL

523  

The textile business in Midi-Pyrenees depends heavily on foreign clients with the sector as a whole generating 60% of its sales from export, and 70% for weaving operations .

The regional textile sector mainly supplies the clothing market. In addition to the production of corporate groups - CHARGEURS FASHION, CARREMAN, MICHEL THIERRY - certain regional small & medium size companies are well-positioned in their segments (for example sweaters, hosiery); such as ROULEAU GUICHARD company (+/- 200 jobs within the Toulouse metropolitan area) is the French leader in men's undergarments .

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