With over 170 000 people employed in the clothing and textile industry, it is the single most significant industrial source of employment in the Western Cape. The Western Cape's firms are mainly South African owned, and produce mainly for the higher end of the market - and are subject to a comparatively higher cost structure (e.g. wages) than, for instance, Kwazulu-Natal.
The Cape clothing cluster is a partnership between the Western Cape provincial government and 16 regional manufacturers. South Africa's four major clothing retailers (Edcon, Foschini, Truworths International & Woolworths) are also part of the cluster. The aim of the cluster is to improve the competitiveness of the clothing and textile industry, so as to ensure its future success.