In pictures: when textiles drove the golden age of ‘Made in Hong Kong’
The textile and garment industry was the engine that drove Hong Kong’s economic rise from backwater to boomtown
From the 1960s to the 80s, Hong Kong’s textile and garment industry was the engine driving the city’s remarkable economic boom. Fuelled by an influx of capital, technology and skilled labour, local factories flourished, transforming the city into one of the world’s leading garment exporters.
In those busy workshops, the sound of sewing machines never stopped. Workers stitched fabric into clothes that ended up in shops from London to New York and beyond.
But by the 1990s, many factories had moved production to mainland China and Southeast Asia to cut costs and keep up with change.
Through the lens of the South China Morning Post’s photographers, we take a look back at the golden age of the textile and garment industry, and how it boosted “Made in Hong Kong” to become an internationally recognised brand.