ENG-1964 — Page 60

INDUSTRY AND TRADE

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The textile industry not only dominates Hong Kong's economy, accounting for 52 per cent of its domestic exports and employing 42 per cent of its industrial labour force, but is also a significant factor in international trade in textiles. In all sectors the manu- facture and processing of cotton goods predominates. The cotton spinning mills, operating over 695,000 spindles, are among the most up-to-date in the world. Cotton yarn counts range from tens to sixties carded and combed in single or multiple threads. Production of all counts in 1964 was estimated at approximately 256 million lbs, the greater part of which was consumed by local weavers. In the piecegoods weaving section, which has a capacity of 19,872 looms, grey cotton drill, canvas, shirting, poplins, ginghams and other bleached and dyed cloth and prints are the main items. Production of cotton piecegoods in 1964 was estimated to be approximately 560 million square yards. Much of this was exported, but there is an increasing tendency for garment manufacturers to use domestic materials.

The use of fibres other than cotton and new-processes in the finishing and garment industries are assuming growing significance. During the year two leading textile concerns began to spin polyester/ cotton and polyester/viscose yarn for weaving into shirting and other fabrics for which there is now a more rapid growth in demand than for equivalent cotton products. There was further development of the Colony's woollen and worsted spinning industry; its pro- duction goes mostly to the domestic knitting industry, although some is woven into piecegoods. Other woven products include silk and rayon brocade of traditional Chinese design, tapes, military web- bing, lace, mosquito netting, carpets and rugs. The dyeing, printing and finishing industry has concentrated on such developments as multi-colour screen and roll printing, pre-shrinking by several processes under licence, and polymerizing for the production of drip-dry fabrics.

The manufacture of garments remains the largest sector with- in the industry, employing 59,000 workers. An almost unlimited range and variety of clothing, from high fashion dresses to cotton singlets, are produced for export all over the world. Embroidered blouses, underwear and night-wear, silk and brocade and evening coats have world-wide popularity. Custom and mail order tailoring, principally of men's suits, has rapidly developed in recent years

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