The president of the Garment and Textile Committee (Vestex), Carlos Arias, said that in 2008 and 2009 the industry saw sales drop by 30%. This meant that 15,000 people lost their jobs.

"There is a direct link between sales and jobs, and last year we recovered about 30% of the production affected by the crisis, so we believe that a similar recovery can be seen in terms of employment", said Arias to Siglo21. com.gt.

According to the website, the industry started on the road to recovery in 2010 and 2011. This allowed to them to place, mainly in the U.S. market -which is also showing signs of recovery- some $1.13 billion in products, equivalent to 12% of the country's external trade, according to statistics from the Bank of Guatemala.

Source: siglo21.com.gt

More on this topic

Improved Outlook for Guatemalan Apparel Industry

April 2010

In the first quarter of the year, apparel exports to the U.S. were 30% higher than the same period of 2009.

Data from Vestex (Apparel and Textile Commision) shows that between January and March, this industry exported $294.2 million, 30% more than the same period of 2009, when it sold $225.4 million.

Guatemalan Textile Exports Down 15.5% in 2009

January 2010

The country exported $1.28 billion worth of apparel in 2009, 15.5% less than in 2008.

Data from Vestex, the Apparel and Textile Commission, shows that Guatemala sold $1.52 billion in 2008, and that exports have fallen 37.9% in the past 5 years.

"Alejandro Ceballos, head of Vestex, blamed the U.S. recession in 2008 and 2009, as that country is the top destination for Guatemalan textile exports", reported Prensalibre.com.

Guatemala: Textile Exports Resume Growth

November 2009

After nine months of consecutive decreases, textile exports finally reversed the trend, increasing 2.48% in October.

In October, sales to the U.S. summed $102 million, 2.48% more than the same month of 2008, according to data from Vestex, the Textile and Apparel Commision.

Guatemala: Textile Exports Down 27.4%

August 2009

Up to July, $547 million worth of textiles were exported, $207 million less than the same period of 2008.

Alejandro Ceballos, president of Vestex, the Textile and Apparel Commission, remarked the loss of 60.000 jobs in the sector from 2005 onwards.

Ceballos argued this during the presentation of "the VIII Business Survey, which was conducted among 135 maquila companies ...