Many workers, such as those in Italian textiles, now work on weekends.

ECONOMIST: Growth and jobs

Since 1970, when it established an export-processing zone, its foreign sales of textiles and sugar have boomed and its per capita income is now the second highest in Africa.

ECONOMIST: Trading places

E-textiles have been around for centuries (think metallic thread) but now that computers have become the size of a pack of gum, affordable and easily programmable, and a new 3D Printer comes on the market daily, fashion tech is starting to catch on and more and more widespread.

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Exports, especially of textiles and motor components, three-quarters of them to Europe, now account for 47% of GDP.

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Now China is making inroads into such labour-intensive sectors as textiles, shoes and toys, too.

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Right now Europe also seems ahead in developing nanotechnology to create materials for industries like cosmetics and textiles.

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