The import of textiles and apparel by the US continues to grow at high rate and it rose by 29.83 per cent to $78.402 billion in the first seven months of 2022, compared to $60.388 billion in the same period of 2021. With 26.90 per cent share China continues to be the largest supplier of textiles and clothing to the US, followed by Vietnam with 14 per cent.

Apparel constituted the bulk of textiles and garments imported by the US in January-July 2022, and were valued at $58.911 billion, while non-apparel imports accounted for $19.490 billion, according to the latest Major Shippers Report, released by the US department of commerce.

Segment-wise, among the top ten apparel suppliers to the US, imports from Indonesia and India shot up by 59.69 per cent and 59.39 per cent year-on-year respectively. Imports from Cambodia and Bangladesh too grew 55.90 per cent and 54.43 per cent respectively. Additionally, imports from Pakistan, which is among the top 10 suppliers, registered a growth of 46.84 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year.

In the non-apparel category, among the top ten suppliers, imports from Cambodia soared by 70.93 per cent year-on-year. Imports from Vietnam and Italy too climbed 27.95 per cent and 23.20 per cent respectively. On the other hand, imports from Turkey dipped by 11.20 per cent.

Of the total US textile and apparel imports of $78.402 billion during the period under review, cotton products were worth $34.707 billion, while man-made fibre products accounted for $39.637 billion, followed by $2.156 billion of wool products, and $1.900 billion of products from silk and vegetable fibres.

In 2020, the US textile and apparel imports had decreased sharply, mainly on account of the COVID-19 pandemic induced disruption, to $89.596 billion compared to imports of $111.033 billion in 2019. But imports rebounded again in 2021 to surpass pre-pandemic level and ended at $113.938 billion.

By Fibre2Fashion