Weaving and wearing silk is an expression of deeply-rooted cultural and social traditions in Cambodia. Silk is a prestigious fabric, often worn by the King and Queen in official ceremonies, and very popular among Cambodians. The beautiful Cambodian silk handicrafts also enjoy a high popularity among tourists and are becoming an increasingly significant item in the country’s export basket. The Royal Government of Cambodia aims to achieve economic growth and progress in Cambodia by integrating its economy into regional and international markets through increased international trade and investment. In this context the silk industry has been identified as a strategic sector for export growth exhibiting high potential for international growth-based economic and social development.

The International Trade Centre (ITC) has been supporting Cambodia’s silk industry since 2005 through the creation of the sector strategy and the subsequent implementation of the Cambodian Sector-wide Silk Project. The project is coordinated by a Phnom Penh based office. ITC is the joint agency of WTO and the United Nations and is devoted to helping SMEs in developing countries become more competitive in global markets and thus to speed up sustainable economic development and contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.