In the European Union, helped by the fall in the value of the Euro, gains are once again being made by suppliers in East Europe and the Mediterranean Rim - including Turkey - at the expense of Asian exporters.

In the US market, Mexico is no longer the fastest growing supplier. Indeed, US textile and clothing imports from Mexico actually fell in 2001 after soaring for a number of years. Instead, the fastest growth in 2001 was achieved by exporters in Sub-Saharan Africa, following enactment of AGOA (African Growth and Opportunity Act). Already, Asian companies are investing in the region in order to take advantage of very low wage rates combined with duty-free and quota-free access to the US market under AGOA.

On the other hand, buyers and investors are taking a renewed interest in China since it joined the World Trade Organisation, while Bangladesh and Sri Lanka stand to benefit from heightened tension between India and Pakistan over disputed territory in Kashmir.

In 2005 much of the world's textile and apparel market will be up for grabs when quotas restricting exports from developing countries are finally eliminated. Competition seems likely to get tougher, international prices are likely to fall, and margins will get tighter.

Which countries and regions stand to benefit the most from these changes? Will Sub-Saharan Africa continue to grow at the expense of Mexico and Asia? If so, which countries will make the most gains? Or will China scoop up market share at the expense of everyone else, once it is no longer restrained by quotas? Will September 11 continue to be an issue? Will movements in exchange rates upset the sourcing balance, as happened during and after the Asian financial crisis? What will be the future role of sourcing centres such as Hong Kong, as buyers cut out the middleman to save cost and do more direct dealing with the factories?