This concept is made up of the textile and ready-made clothing, leather and footwear, jewelry and gift articles, and decorative articles and furniture sectors. These industries seek to develop Mexico’s image as a leading country in design and fashion. Since 2002, our country’s production plants have specialized in manufacturing products with greater added value, flexible production and shorter delivery times, which has contributed to registering a trade surplus in manufacture. Mexico has numerous strengths in the textile and ready-made clothing chain, such as taking advantage of the Free Trade Agreement between Central America, the Dominican Republic and the United States (CAFTA-DR) through the implementation of the Accumulation of Origin. Furthermore, our country has qualified labor, a strategic location with the United States, implementation of Trade Agreements with Europe and Japan, and zero tariff rate with the United States and Canada for exports to the NAFTA region. These trade facilities have made it possible for the Mexican textile industry to occupy fifth place as a supplier of North America.

Moreover, Mexico is the world’s third silver producer and its exports in silver jewelry in 2007 amounted to 100 million dollars. There are approximately 12,000 gift and jewelry companies in the country, 12 percent of which are exporters. In the case of the leather and footwear industries, more than 500 million dollars are exported. The main destination of exports of both industries is the United States. Nonetheless, China and Hong Kong represent markets in constant growth for the leather industry, whereas the footwear industry is diversifying toward Japan and Europe. The manufacture of articles for decoration is very extensive in our country; its strengths are the design and utilization of new materials. On the other hand, the furniture industry is becoming increasingly specialized in niches such as hospitality. However, wooden furniture continues to hold an important place in exports to the United States and Canada. In the year 2008 a total of 3.7 billion dollars were exported in articles for decoration and furniture.

 

 

Last updated: Friday October 9th 2009 by Fernanda Luna