The Fashion Industry and New York City

Apparel is a $172 billion retail market nationwide. The industry employs 4.64 million people: 3.6 million in retail sales, 573,000 in apparel production, and 470,000 in textile production.

New York City remains the nation's fashion capital, with over 5000 fashion showrooms. The city's fashion industry has a sales volume of $14 billion, including $12 billion in wholesale apparel sales. New York has eight schools dedicated to fashion, including the Fashion Institute of Technology, which, with over 11,000 students, is the world's largest such school.

Each year, the 125,000 visits by out-of-town apparel buyers generate an estimated $100 million for New York City hotels, restaurants, transportation services and other non-apparel businesses.

New York remains an important center of garment production, as well as wholesale sales. New York's apparel factories produce 18% of the women's outerwear (dresses, coats, suits, sportswear), and 28% of all the dresses made in the United States.

The Importance of the Apparel Industry to New York City's Economy

The Fashion Industry generates 100,000 jobs in fashion-related firms - 62,000 in textile and apparel production and 38,000 involved in wholesale selling.

Apparel manufacturing accounts for one-third of the manufacturing jobs in the city, and is the largest single source of manufacturing jobs.

Approximately half of the manufacturing industry is unionized, represented by the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE).

While many apparel manufacturing jobs in New York pay from $6.50 - $7.50 per hour, some pay substantially more. Garment cutters, for example, typically earn $12 to $15 per hour, and skilled sample makers can earn up to $25 per hour.

Apparel manufacturing is an important source of work for the city's immigrants. Immigrants constitute over 75% of the workforce. The industry also provides an opportunity for advancement for these New Yorkers, with a significant number of factories owned by immigrants.

Sources
Bureau of the Census, US Department of Commerce; Center for an Urban Future; The Fashion Center Business Improvement District; UNITE; Women's Wear Daily