Scottish textiles are recognised around the world for their diversity, quality and design and despite increased competition from new low cost markets in the Far East, the industry in Scotland continues to grow.

The Scottish textiles and clothing industry includes around 500 companies employing more than 20,000 people. Companies who buy, sell and/or process goods overseas are the high performers within the Scottish textiles industry and improved trade agreements is recognised by the industry as being a key way of developing the sector.

The textiles industry is crucial to the Scottish Borders, employing 50% of all Borders manufacturing jobs in 1997. It also makes a major contribution to the Scottish economy in terms of jobs employing a total of 33,900 in 1997, (some three times the size of the whisky industry),
Like the whisky industry it is heavily export oriented (accounting for 28% of output, even more in some sub- sectors) and often has a mutually beneficial relationship with the local tourism industry.
The Government has been the diversion of some £2m European Union 5b funding to the Borders and a £1.8m Scottish Enterprise Borders (SEB) “special allocation” to fortify the textile industry within the Scottish Borders.