Trends in Clothing Imports
The nation that made the greatest gains in the U.S. clothing market between 1990 and 2006 was not China, but Mexico. In 1990, Mexico was not among the top five clothing suppliers to the United States, but between 1998 and
2001, it was the clear leader, providing an average of14.3% of the U.S. clothing imports over those four years.
However, since its accession into the World Trade
Organization in December 2001, China has overtaken Mexico, increasing its
market share from 11.9% in 2001 to 22.6% in 2006. Meanwhile, Mexico's market share has declined from 13.0% in 2002 to 7.4% in 2006.
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Top 5 Clothing Suppliers for the United States
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|
1990-2006
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|
(Market Share in Parentheses)
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|
Year
|
First
|
Second
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Third
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Fourth
|
Fifth
|
|
1990
|
Hong Kong
|
China
|
South Korea
|
Taiwan
|
Philippines
|
|
|
16.10%
|
14.50%
|
12.00%
|
9.70%
|
4.10%
|
|
1991
|
Hong Kong
|
China
|
Taiwan
|
South Korea
|
Mexico
|
|
|
15.90%
|
15.00%
|
10.20%
|
8.00%
|
4.00%
|
|
1992
|
China
|
Hong Kong
|
Taiwan
|
South Korea
|
Mexico
|
|
|
16.50%
|
14.50%
|
7.90%
|
6.80%
|
4.40%
|
|
1993
|
China
|
Hong Kong
|
Taiwan
|
South Korea
|
Mexico
|
|
|
18.00%
|
12.30%
|
6.80%
|
6.30%
|
4.90%
|
|
1994
|
China
|
Hong Kong
|
Taiwan
|
Mexico
|
South Korea
|
|
|
15.80%
|
12.30%
|
6.00%
|
5.70%
|
5.60%
|
|
1995
|
China
|
Hong Kong
|
Mexico
|
Taiwan
|
South Korea
|
|
|
13.30%
|
11.30%
|
8.00%
|
5.20%
|
4.60%
|
|
1996
|
China
|
Mexico
|
Hong Kong
|
Taiwan
|
Dominican
|
|
|
14.00%
|
10.20%
|
9.80%
|
4.80%
|
Republic (4.3%)
|
|
1997
|
China
|
Mexico
|
Hong Kong
|
Dominican
|
Taiwan
|
|
|
14.00%
|
12.10%
|
8.40%
|
Republic(4.7%)
|
4.40%
|
|
1998
|
Mexico
|
China
|
Hong Kong
|
Dominican
|
Taiwan
|
|
|
13.70%
|
12.10%
|
8.40%
|
Republic(4.4%)
|
4.10%
|
|
1999
|
Mexico
|
China
|
Hong Kong
|
Dominican
|
Honduras
|
|
|
14.80%
|
11.90%
|
7.70%
|
Republic (4.4%)
|
3.90%
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