Other opportunities - Textiles

Textile Sector Industry Overview 
Labor
Infrastructure

The opportunity

• Already established industrial fashion designing capabilities.
• Established back office services (offshoring /outsourcing) in marketing, logistics, sourcing, quality assurance and others.
  Detailed information about specific service operations can be found in this same site through the following link Services.
• Sample, prototypes and spec sheets development.
• Assembly of textile-based medical & other specialized products.
  Detailed information about specific medical services can be found in this same site through the following link Medical Devices

Industry Overview

With more than 20 years of experience in the clothing industry, Costa Rica has a well-established textile industry that has achieved export levels in the order of $600MM annually, with a 95% focus on the U.S. market, and more recently, on the Canadian market, following the passing of the Free Trade Agreement with that country. The textile industry eagerly awaits the passing of CAFTA as well (US-Central America Free Trade Agreement), expected in 2006. This industry provides employment to more than 15,000 workers.

The manufacturing activity in the textile sector has suffered a deep transformation, starting from massive production through traditional drawback (industry), to a more flexible capability for (an industry with the capacity of) satisfying specific short and (flexible) production niches. Furthermore, Costa Rica has been specializing in specific service-based areas such as quality control, plant engineering, specification and sample development, as well as international fashion trend based industrial clothing design, in accordance to consumer taste and preference. 
The Costa Rican textile industry workforce is highly qualified, easily adaptable to innovation and fast-learning. Besides, established companies report low personnel rotation rates. Sector companies usually count on:

Labor

• Specialized design software personnel
• Automated pattern marking (CAD/CAM)
• Fashion design school
• Bilingual Staff & Technicians
• Textile quality assurance labs
• Compliance with WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production)  

Infrastructure

• Energy
  Detailed information about specific energy services can be found in this same site through the following link Infrastructure/Energy
• Telecommunications:
  • Dedicated Internet Access
  • Digital point-to-point links
  • Transportation Networks with fiber and wireless digital technology (Frame Relay)
  • Leased Channels using satellite facilities (RACSASAT)
  • VSAT networks
  • X.25 networks  

Detailed information about specific telecommunication services can be found in this same site through the following link Infrastructure/telecommunications

• Transportation:
  • 3 to 5 days shipping time from Costa Rica to Miami by sea ( Crowley , Maersk Sealand, Evergreen and others)
  • Daily cargo flights to United States (DHL, UPS, FEDEX, commercial flights), with 26 consolidated cargo airlines and 24 world cargo shipping lines
  • Ports in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, both 2 hours driving time from San Jose
  • Main international airport only 10 miles from San Jose
  • On-site customs in FTZ
  • On-line document filing