Australia's apparel imports rise 9.7% to $4.15 bn in Jul-Dec 2024

12 Feb '25

2 min read

Australia's apparel imports rise 9.7% to $4.15 bn in Jul-Dec 2024

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Insights

From July to December 2024, Australia's imports of apparel and clothing accessories rose by 9.71 per cent to Au$6.607 billion (~$4.150 billion), according to ABS data.
However, textile fibre exports declined by 12.66 per cent to Au$3.916 billion.
The country also experienced decreases in fibre imports and other textile categories, highlighting mixed fortunes in its textile sector.

Australia's imports of apparel and clothing accessories (classified under code 84) increased by 9.71 per cent to Au$6.607 billion (~$4.150 billion) during July-December 2024, the first six months of fiscal 2024-25 (July-June), according to the latest trade data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The country imported apparel and clothing accessories worth Au$6.022 billion during the same period in 2023. There was an impressive month-on-month increase in imports during December 2024.

Imports of textile yarn, fabrics, and made-up articles (classified under code 65) also rose by 8.05 per cent, reaching Au$2.360 billion (~$1.482 billion) in the first six months of the current fiscal, compared to Au$2.184 billion in the same period last year. Conversely, fibre imports (classified under code 26) fell by 9 per cent to Au$58 million from Au$64 million during the period under review.

In December 2024, imports of apparel and clothing accessories increased by 29.45 per cent to Au$1.046 billion, up from Au$0.808 billion in December 2023. Imports of textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles, and related products increased to Au$375 million in December 2024 from Au$309 million in December 2023. Fibre imports decreased to Au$8 million from Au$9 million in December 2023.

Meanwhile, Australia's exports of textile fibres (code 26) were valued at Au$3.916 billion (~$2.460 billion) during July-December 2024, marking a 12.66 per cent decrease from Au$4.484 billion in the corresponding period of the previous year. Exports in December 2024 fell by 25.93 per cent to Au$454 million, compared to Au$613 million in December 2023.

During fiscal 2023-24, Australia's apparel and clothing imports totalled Au$12.231 billion, a decline of 5.2 per cent from the Au$12.903 billion recorded in 2022-23. Similarly, imports of textile yarn and fabrics dropped by 9.40 per cent, from Au$4.825 billion in 2022-23 to Au$4.371 billion in 2023-24.

Australia exported textile fibres worth Au$7.053 billion in 2023-24, with a decline of 13.97 per cent from Au$8.199 billion in 2022-23. Notably, Australia is a significant producer and exporter of cotton.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)

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