Croatia textile industry loses 35,000 workers over 25 years

The Croatian textile industry has seen a significant decline in workforce, losing approximately 35,000 workers over the last quarter-century. According to research presented by Novi sindikat and the Clean Clothes Campaign, employment has dropped from roughly 51,000 in 2000 to between 15,000 and 16,000 today.

Remaining workers often face difficult conditions, including minimum wage salaries, high production quotas, and facilities poorly equipped to handle extreme weather such as heatwaves. The study highlights that the industry is driven by a production model serving large international fashion companies at low costs, which places pressure on wages and working environments.

The workforce is predominantly female, with nearly 80 percent being women, and more than half of the employees are over the age of 45. Recent industrial shifts include the bankruptcy of Orljava following the departure of Olymp and the planned closure of Benetton’s Osijek plant in 2025, which is expected to affect approximately 300 people.