Hong Kong's textile and garment industry has an image problem among young people that has led to a serious drain of talent in recent years, according to a director of the Textiles Council.
Sophie Leung Lau Yau-fun told a symposium for small and medium-sized textile manufacturers and traders that the industry - which accounts for 40 per cent of domestic exports - had to work to promote the fashion business among students.
Despite being a world leader, along with Italy, in terms of garment output, it was ironic Hong Kong's manufacturers struggled to attract quality young workers from within the SAR and had moved across the border to find a workforce, Mrs Leung said.
Since 1994, the industry had lost an average of about 10,000 workers a year who were not being replaced on the factory floor.
The number of employees had dropped to 88,000 from 110,000 four years ago.
However, Mrs Leung acknowledged it was an uphill battle to convince university graduates of long-term career opportunities if they had to start off as manual workers.
