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UK apparel trade shows sharp recovery in September

17 Nov '25

3 min read

UK apparel trade shows sharp recovery in September

Pic: Sorbis / Shutterstock

Insights

UK apparel imports rose ***.** per cent YoY to £*.*** billion in September, signalling a clear market recovery ahead of the autumn-winter season.
Fabric and fibre imports also posted modest gains, while Q3 clothing imports grew over *** per cent.
The rebound follows * years of declines, supported by easing inflation, better consumer confidence, and stronger sourcing from Turkiye, Bangladesh, and China.

Textile fabric and fibre imports also posted marginal gains. Fabric imports stood at £*** million (~$***.** million), *.** per cent higher than £*** million in September ****, while fibre imports inched up to £** million (~$**.** million) from £** million a year earlier. Month on month, fabric imports rose from £*** million, and fibre imports from £** million. These modest increases point to stabilising manufacturing activity and early preparation for **** sourcing cycles.

During the third quarter (Q*) of ****, the UK imported clothing worth £*.*** billion (~$*.*** billion), up **.** per cent from £*.*** billion in Q* **** and **.** per cent higher than £*.*** billion in Q* ****. Fabric imports during Q* were valued at £*.*** billion (~$*.*** billion), while textile fibre imports totalled £** million (~$***.** million), compared with £*.*** billion and £** million, respectively, in Q* ****. In Q* ****, fabric and fibre imports had reached £*.*** billion and £** million, respectively. Quarterly growth suggests stronger order placements by UK brands following improved retail sell-through over the summer.