Tunisia is among the top 15 garment suppliers in the world, and has the advantage of being close to the European market. It is the fifth largest supplier to the European Union as well as the leading trouser supplier to the EU. Other important products are work wear and lingerie. The main foreign investors in the apparel sector in Tunisia are France, Germany, Belgium and Italy. Now the trade association of garment and clothing manufacturers within Tunisia's employers' organization, CONECT has signed an agreement with trade show organiser Messe Frankfurt, to promote its industrial products internationally.

Messe Frankfurt pledged to promote Tunisian textile and apparel companies with a dedicated pavilion at the Apparel Sourcing trade show in Paris next September and February. The organiser will also be involved in implementing specific promotions in northern Europe and Germany. This agreement is a result of falling European imports of textiles and apparels sourced from Tunisia. With nearly 96 per cent of Tunisia’s apparels destined for EU, in a few years, the country fell from 4th to 9th position in the ranking of apparel suppliers. The country has over 30 centers for specialised education covering the textile industry, sectoral centers for training supervisors and technicians, a higher institute of textiles for senior technicians, a textile engineering university and a higher institute for fashion professionals.

Clothing and textile exports represent 36 per cent of total Tunisian exports. The clothing sector alone represents 91 per cent of textile and clothing exports: 72 per cent for woven garments and 19 per cent for knitted goods.

However Tunisia’s textile and clothing industry needs to diversify its products and move beyond its current markets and look instead at export opportunities in, eastern Europe, the Middle East, Scandinavia and sub-Saharan Africa