ABSTRACT
As Adam Smith ([1776] 1998) pointed out, basic and proper clothing enables people to appear in public without shame and thus is an important means to human development. Clothing plays a crucial role in human development not only in the form of finished goods. The labour-intensive production of textiles and clothing generates significant employment—and productive employment provides people with the means for a decent standard of living and enhances their self-esteem and their participation in society. Moreover, in most economies, employment in textile and clothing production is biased towards women and thus has a gender dimension. But the processes often used in textile and clothing production may have serious adverse effects on human health and the environment. All these issues have implications for human development. So does the structure of international trade in textiles and clothing.
