The Making Markets Work study set out to explore the current constraints to growth in the clothing industry of the Western Cape, and propose a range of strategies to maximize potential within the industry. A central focus of the study was the critical lack of versatile skilled machinists in the formal sector of the industry. The study also explored particular ways in which companies have repositioned themselves to remain competitive over the last decade, and the kind of restructuring that has taken place - for example, a shift towards the establishment of design and logistic houses, and an emphasis on niche and specialised product categories. Importantly, one of the main features of the restructuring that has taken place is the growth of informal, unregistered CMTs in the townships around Cape Town. This development and its implications, which are inextricably linked to the shortage of versatile machinists mentioned above, was also a particular focus of our study.