US' textiles & apparel imports grow 2.6% to $107 bn in 2024

In 2024, apparel imports, which constitute the majority of US’ textile imports, increased by 1.71 per cent to $79.257 billion, up from $77.926 billion in 2023. Non-apparel imports also rose by 5.42 per cent to $28.465 billion, according to the US Department of Commerce’s Major Shippers Report.

US apparel imports from Cambodia grew by 14.44 per cent, while those from Pakistan rose by 7.28 per cent. Apparel imports from India and Vietnam also saw gains of up to 5.61 per cent. Imports from China, Bangladesh, and Indonesia also inched up. In contrast, imports from Mexico decreased by 6.30 per cent, from Honduras by 4.25 per cent, and from Italy by 2.76 per cent.

In the non-apparel sector, imports increased by 8.46 per cent from China, 2.77 per cent from Turkiye, 18.84 per cent from Vietnam, 8.44 per cent from India, and 10.52 per cent from Cambodia. Meanwhile, shipments from Mexico to the US dropped by 4.69 per cent, with further declines from Italy, Canada, and South Korea.

During the review period, total US textile and apparel imports stood at $107.723 billion. Man-made fibre products accounted for the largest share, totalling $56.058 billion, followed by cotton products at $44.465 billion, wool products at $4.205 billion, and silk and vegetable fibre products at $2.993 billion.

In 2023, the US imported textiles and apparel worth $104.959 billion, marking a 20.51 per cent decrease from 2022. Apparel imports fell by 22.05 per cent to $77.840 billion, while non-apparel imports declined by 15.73 per cent to $27.119 billion. In 2022, US textile and apparel imports had risen to $132.201 billion, up from $113.938 billion in 2021, following a sharp decline in 2020 when imports dropped to $89.596 billion, compared to $111.033 billion in 2019.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)