Südwesttextil and the industry it represents

Clothing/textiles is Germany’s second-largest consumer-goods industry, and the country is a global market leader for technical/industrial textiles. Südwesttextil is the association that represents the interests of textile manufacturers/employers based in the State of Baden-Württemberg.

The association has some 220 member companies, with a total of 24,000 employees. Together, they generate revenues of 7 billion euros annually. Many of them are key suppliers to the automotive, aerospace and healthcare industries, while others bring color and comfort to our lives with attractive fashion items and high-quality home textiles.

Südwesttextil advises its members, engages in political and business networking, represents employers in collective bargaining negotiations, actively supports textile research, and promotes social and environmental standards.

Core tasks and skills

Advice on employment/labor and social-security legislation (employment contracts, warnings, notices of termination, time limits, part-time work, works constitution law, etc.)
Out-of-court representation
Legal representation before the labour and social courts at all instances
Collective-bargaining policy and legislation
General workforce-related issues (remuneration systems, working hours, health management, reintegration into the workplace, management systems, health and safety at work, demographics, etc.)
Business law (contract law, commercial and sales law, corporate law, antitrust law, mergers and acquisitions, trademark law, etc.)
Data protection

Advice and information (vocational training, employee development, etc.)
Attracting and retaining specialists and executives (campaigns to attract apprentices/trainees, education and training fairs, etc.)
GATEX training center (programs for apprentices/trainees/cooperative university students, further skills development for employees, programs for unskilled textile workers, seminars, workshops, etc.)
Surveys and statistics (market conditions for textiles and clothing in Baden-Württemberg, the textile labor market, Germany-wide statistics, data research for individual members, etc.)
Exports

Environmental policy and chemicals regulations (lobbying at state, national and EU level, advice, workshops, etc.)
Energy policy and supply (advice on procurement and procurement pooling)
Manufacturing technology
Clothing labels
Customs

A powerful advocate for textile manufacturing in many arenas and forums
Main player behind the Baden-Württemberg Alliance of Fiber-Based Materials
Contacts with economic policymakers
Member of diverse umbrella and partner organizations
Representative of the textile industry within broader organizations (Federal Employment Agency, universities, research institutes, etc.)