INTRODUCTION

Nowadays textile industry is largely dominated by large-size companies that have delocalized their production in Asian countries and rely on changing collections and a fast supply chain to offer always new fashion products to demanding consumers. This model was inherited from a long tradition of international trade and the industrial revolution, which enhanced the objective of producing always more and at a low cost. In this section, we will start with a brief history of the textile industry that will help us understand the main production and distribution models that dominate the world’s globalized market.