From 2000 to 2004, the share of Southeast Asia in the Belgian garment industry's production outside Belgium, increased from 10 to 26. China was the largest foreign production location. Creamoda, the Belgian Clothing Industry Federation, has inquired into its members delocalisation activities and forecasts. Compared to other European countries such as Germany, Holland and the Scandinavian countries, Belgium was rather slow in moving its clothing manufacturing to low-wage countries. For many years, the topic of production delocalisation was almost taboo in the Belgian Clothing Industry Federation. Nevertheless, a few bold Belgian manufacturers (Staels, Seyntex, Wallys) started manufacturing jeans and other clothing items in Tunisia during the 1970s. They acted as role models for dozens of their colleagues, of whom some also perceived the advantages of foreign production locations, such as Morocco, Turkey, Hong Kong and Eastern Europe. Thus total employment in the Belgian garment industry inside Belgium dropped from around 90,000 in 1970 to 40,000.
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