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Imports of wool apparel go up strongly in November

25 Mar '08

2 min read

Statistics released by the US Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) indicate US imports of wool apparel rose strongly in November 2007 compared to the same period in 2006 (in both value and volume terms).

Behind the solid performance of wool apparel imports in November 2007, the long term trend of wool apparel share by volume of total apparel imports is declining. During 12 months ending December 1998, the average share of wool apparel in total apparel imports oscillated around 2.1%.

Ten years later the same ratio for 12 months ending November 2007 dropped to around half of that. A similar trend has been recorded in value terms.

In contrast, total apparel imports maintain a solid upward trend with the volume of total US apparel imports almost doubling within the last decade.

The most important supplier of apparel on the US market is China. The importance of China in US imports is even greater in the sector of wool apparel products. There has been a 12-fold increase in the volume wool apparel supplied to the US by China in the twelve months to November 2007 compared to ten years ago.

There are some signs that the solid monthly trend in US wool apparel imports may become more subdued due to weakening American economy and faltering demand in the US retail sector.

Australian Wool Innovation Limited

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