In 2017, the clothing industry showed an increase of 16% in the value of purchases abroad. According to the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce, 2017 was a year of great ups and downs for the Colombian textile industry, due to the strengthening of the market by foreign “low cost” and “fast fashion” companies, a trend that has been taking place in the country in the last years. Phenomena such as smuggling have had a significant impact on both the sector and the coffers of the nation. Estimates from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism indicate that, in the last year, the country stopped receiving 1 billion pesos due to this illegal practice.