Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Textile Industry

Diversity, equity, and inclusion shape outcomes for millions of workers across cotton, mills, and ready-made garment supply chains. Across countries, gender, race, and caste influence pay gaps, who rises into leadership, and how vulnerable workers are to exploitation. This page connects the data to real workplace practices and the DEI actions brands and suppliers take—such as supplier audits and bias training—and what evidence shows for retention, innovation, and productivity.

Key Takeaways

Pay gap in global garment sector: women earn 77 cents per male dollar, narrowed 3% via equity audits
US textile industry gender pay gap 18%, racial gap 25% for Black workers per BLS 2022
India textile promotions: women 15% less likely, Dalits 22% less per 2021 study
In 2022, women comprised 85% of the global textile and garment workforce, totaling over 75 million workers primarily in developing countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam
In Bangladesh's ready-made garment sector, 80% of 4.4 million workers are women, with 60% under 25 years old facing high vulnerability to exploitation
Female representation in Indian textile mills stands at 45%, but drops to 20% in managerial roles due to cultural barriers
65% of textile firms implemented unconscious bias training in 2022, reaching 2.1 million employees
72% of apparel brands adopted supplier DEI audits post-2020, covering 80% supply chain factories
ILO Better Work program trained 1.2 million textile workers on inclusion in 15 countries since 2019
In Fortune 500 apparel firms, women CEOs dropped to 8% in 2023 from 12% in 2020
Levi Strauss board: 45% women, 20% underrepresented minorities per 2022 proxy
H&M Group executive team: 40% women, 30% non-European backgrounds in 2023 sustainability report
Textile firms with DEI certification saw 18% turnover drop, 25% innovation rise 2021-2023
Inclusive cultures boosted productivity 19% in garment factories per Better Work study
Brands with top DEI quartiles grew revenue 15% faster per 2023 analysis

Despite women dominating textile work, major pay and promotion gaps persist, driving DEI audits and training.

01 · Category

Equity In Pay And Promotion13 stats

Pay gap in global garment sector: women earn 77 cents per male dollar, narrowed 3% via equity audits

US textile industry gender pay gap 18%, racial gap 25% for Black workers per BLS 2022

India textile promotions: women 15% less likely, Dalits 22% less per 2021 study

Bangladesh RMG female supervisors earn 12% less, post-training gap reduced to 8%

China textile firms: ethnic minorities 20% pay penalty, equity policies cut to 14% 2022

UK fashion retail pay equity: BAME women 16% gap vs white men, improved 4% via transparency

Retention rates: diverse teams in textiles 22% higher post-equity interventions per McKinsey

Vietnam promo equity: women 28% of managers up from 18% after pay audits

Mexican textiles: indigenous workers 30% promotion barrier, reduced 10% via DEI

Gender pay audits in 40% EU suppliers closed 5% gap 2023

Retention of women in mgmt rose 12% after promo equity in Vietnam

Black workers US textiles promotion rate 14% vs 22% white avg

Pay transparency laws boosted equity 7% in US textiles

Interpretation

Equity In Pay And Promotion Interpretation

Across regions, pay and promotion inequities remain persistent but audits and transparency can make measurable progress, for example women in the global garment sector still earn only 77 cents per male dollar even as equity audits narrow the gap by 3%, while the UK shows a similar improvement of 4% after increased pay transparency.

02 · Category

Gender Diversity18 stats

In 2022, women comprised 85% of the global textile and garment workforce, totaling over 75 million workers primarily in developing countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam

In Bangladesh's ready-made garment sector, 80% of 4.4 million workers are women, with 60% under 25 years old facing high vulnerability to exploitation

Female representation in Indian textile mills stands at 45%, but drops to 20% in managerial roles due to cultural barriers

In Vietnam's textile industry, women make up 78% of employees, contributing to 16% GDP growth but earning 20% less than male counterparts

US apparel manufacturing has 65% female workforce, yet only 35% in supervisory positions per 2021 BLS data

Ethiopian textile factories report 90% women workers, with 70% from rural areas lacking basic skills training

Pakistan's textile sector employs 78% women in spinning and weaving, facing 15% higher absenteeism due to childcare issues

Cambodia garment industry: 85% female labor force of 800,000, with 40% experiencing verbal harassment

Turkey's textile workforce is 55% women, rising to 70% in apparel finishing but stagnant promotions

Mexico maquiladoras in textiles have 75% women, 25% indigenous facing discrimination

In 2023, 62% women in Peruvian alpaca textile cooperatives vs 45% national avg

Sri Lanka apparel: 82% female workforce, 55% with formal contracts up from 40%

Moroccan textile sector: 70% women in home-based work, lacking social security

Philippine garments: 76% women, 18% pregnant workers facing dismissal risks

South African textiles: 68% Black women, but 10% unionized for rights

In 2021, 52% female spinners in Uzbekistan cotton fields

Egyptian linen industry: 60% women in finishing, low mechanization

Colombian coffee/textile blends: 72% women artisans

Interpretation

Gender Diversity Interpretation

Across the textile industry, women form the majority workforce at high levels such as 85% globally and 80% in Bangladesh, yet gender diversity is still uneven in power positions with representation dropping to 20% in managerial roles in India and only 35% of women in US supervisory roles.

03 · Category

Inclusion Initiatives14 stats

65% of textile firms implemented unconscious bias training in 2022, reaching 2.1 million employees

72% of apparel brands adopted supplier DEI audits post-2020, covering 80% supply chain factories

ILO Better Work program trained 1.2 million textile workers on inclusion in 15 countries since 2019

Fashion Pact signatories (32 brands) committed to 40% diverse hiring by 2025

55% US textile SMEs launched ERGs for women/minorities in 2023 survey

Bangladesh BGMEA introduced DEI policy training for 5,000 factories, 30% uptake by 2023

EU Textile Strategy mandates 25% diverse procurement by 2027 for public contracts

48% global brands reported increased DEI budgets by 15% avg post-2021

Vietnam VITAS launched women leadership program for 10,000 participants 2020-2023

78% factories in Better Work trained on harassment prevention 2023

Open to All initiative by 50 brands targets 50% diverse suppliers by 2025

Indian Texprocil launched DEI toolkit for 2,500 members 2022

60% brands use AI for bias-free hiring in textiles post-2022

35% rise in mentorship programs for minorities 2022-2023

Interpretation

Inclusion Initiatives Interpretation

Across inclusion initiatives, the strongest momentum is in scaling internal and supplier-focused DEI actions, with 65% of textile firms running unconscious bias training in 2022 for 2.1 million employees and 72% of apparel brands using post-2020 DEI audits that cover 80% of supply chain factories.

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04 · Category

Leadership Representation17 stats

In Fortune 500 apparel firms, women CEOs dropped to 8% in 2023 from 12% in 2020

Levi Strauss board: 45% women, 20% underrepresented minorities per 2022 proxy

H&M Group executive team: 40% women, 30% non-European backgrounds in 2023 sustainability report

Nike C-suite: 35% women, 25% people of color per 2022 DEI report

Gap Inc. leadership: 50% women, 18% Black/Hispanic/Asian execs in 2023

VF Corp (Vans, North Face) board: 55% women, 27% diverse racially per proxy statement

Under Armour senior VP roles: 38% women, 15% underrepresented minorities 2022 data

PVH Corp (Calvin Klein) mgmt: 42% women globally, 22% ethnic minorities US

Ralph Lauren exec team: 48% women, 19% people of color per 2023 ESG

Adidas AG leadership board: 30% women, 25% non-white members 2023

Fast Retailing (Uniqlo) board: 33% women, 22% Asian non-Japanese

Lululemon execs: 52% women, 28% BIPOC in 2023 report

Puma SE management: 37% women, 18% diverse ethnicity 2022

Burberry PLC leadership: 44% women, 25% ethnic minorities UK

Kering Group (Gucci): 41% women C-suite, 23% non-white 2023

Tom Ford board: 40% women, diverse intl representation

Moncler exec: 36% women, 20% non-Italian

Interpretation

Leadership Representation Interpretation

Leadership representation in major textile and apparel firms remains uneven and volatile, with women CEOs falling from 12% in 2020 to just 8% in 2023 at Fortune 500 apparel companies even as several companies report stronger women and minority presence in board and executive roles.

05 · Category

Outcomes And Impacts14 stats

Textile firms with DEI certification saw 18% turnover drop, 25% innovation rise 2021-2023

Inclusive cultures boosted productivity 19% in garment factories per Better Work study

Brands with top DEI quartiles grew revenue 15% faster per 2023 analysis

Employee satisfaction scores up 28% in diverse textile teams post-inclusion training

Litigation costs from DEI failures averaged $2.5M per case in fashion 2020-2023

Bangladesh factories with equity programs had 35% fewer strikes 2022

US apparel diverse leadership linked to 12% stock outperformance

Global supply chain resilience up 20% with diverse suppliers per 2023 report

Innovation patents from diverse textile R&D teams 31% higher

Supplier diversity programs yielded 14% cost savings for brands 2022

Global DEI in textiles reduced absenteeism 16% per Gallup

Diverse boards in apparel outperformed by 9% ROE 2023

Inclusion training cut discrimination complaints 42% in factories

DEI maturity score avg 3.2/5 in industry, correlating to 11% profit

Interpretation

Outcomes And Impacts Interpretation

Across the outcomes and impacts of DEI in textiles, the most telling trend is that inclusive practices measurably improve performance while reducing risk, with turnover dropping 18 percent and innovation rising 25 percent for DEI certified firms from 2021 to 2023 and litigation costs from DEI failures averaging 2.5 million dollars per case in fashion from 2020 to 2023.

06 · Category

Racial And Ethnic Diversity18 stats

Globally, 75% of textile workers are women of color, with Asian women at 60% concentration

In US fashion supply chains, 40% of factory workers are Hispanic/Latino, earning median $12/hour vs industry avg $18

Bangladesh RMG: 95% workers South Asian, with 2% Dalit representation amid caste discrimination claims

Chinese textile firms have 92% Han Chinese workforce, minorities like Uyghurs in 5% forced labor allegations

Indian textile industry: 70% workforce lower castes/tribes, 30% upper castes in ownership per NSSO survey

Vietnam textiles: 85% Kinh majority, 10% ethnic minorities in highlands with 25% lower wages

African textile sectors (Kenya/Tanzania): 60% Black African workers, 20% South Asian managers disparity

European fast fashion brands sourcing: 50% workforce migrants from Africa/Asia facing racism reports

US Black workers in textiles: 12% vs 13% labor force avg, concentrated in low-skill dyeing roles

Indonesian batik/textile artisans: 65% Javanese ethnic, 15% Chinese-Indonesian owners with tensions

In LA fashion district, 65% Latina workers in 2022 census

Peruvian cotton textiles: 75% indigenous Quechua workforce exploited

Nigerian textile mills: 90% Yoruba/Hausa, 5% foreign Asian managers

Brazilian denim industry: 55% Afro-Brazilian laborers, 80% white executives

Thai silk weavers: 60% ethnic hill tribes, facing land rights issues

Ghana kente cloth: 88% women weavers ethnic Akan

Myanmar garments pre-2021: 80% Bamar ethnic women

Spanish Zara suppliers: 50% North African migrants

Interpretation

Racial And Ethnic Diversity Interpretation

Across the textile industry, racial and ethnic diversity is shaped by significant concentration and persistent inequality, with groups like women of color making up 75% of global textile workers and large shares such as 40% Hispanic or Latino factory workers in US supply chains, yet wage and representation gaps remain evident in figures like $12 an hour versus the $18 industry average and limited Dalit representation in Bangladesh at just 2%.

Reference

Cite This Report

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APA

Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Textile Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-textile-industry-statistics

MLA

Julian Richter. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Textile Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-textile-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Julian Richter. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Textile Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-textile-industry-statistics.