The textile trade group consists of over 10,000 members. It was a founder member of the joint government, employer and trade union body, the Textile, Clothing and Strategy Group, and plays a leading role in its activities.  It also supports and is actively involved with Skillfast-UK, the UK Textile and Clothing Industry Sector Skills Council.  Internationally the trade group is affiliated to the International Textile, Garment & Leather Workers' Federation (ITGLWF) and the European Trade Union Federation: Textiles, Clothing & Leather (ETUC:TCL) who now come under the banner of Industriall.

The textile trade group continues to negotiate wages and conditions at national and company level. The re-organisation of the clothing retail sector, consumer spending patterns and the increased level of low cost textiles and clothing all continue to have an adverse effect on employment. As part of Unite's campaign for fair trade, the textile group has continued to call for worker rights to be part of all international trade agreements, including the right to freedom of association and to bargaining collectively.