Layoffs were made by Gibor Sport Active Wear which fired 450 employees; Tefron Ltd, which fired 300 employees; Arad Towels Ltd. – 165 employees; Molitan Ltd, Delta Galil, Bagir Ltd., and and Gilon Sportswear Ltd. – 50 employees each; and Nilit Ltd. unit Hanit Fibers Ltd. – 23 employees.

Gabbay added that textiles and fashion sales fell by a nominal 12% in 2008, compared with 2007, to NIS 8.4 billion, and that domestic textiles sales fell 13% to NIS 4.7 billion. The only good news was a 2.5% increase in dollar terms in exports to $1.04 billion. Israel exports textiles and fashion products to 114 countries.

Date:3/6/2009

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