US textiles & apparel imports up 31.37% in January-March 2022

Apparel constituted the bulk of textiles and garments imports by the US in January-March 2022, and were valued at $24.314 billion, while non-apparel imports accounted for $8.053 billion, according to the latest Major Shippers Report, released by the US department of commerce.

Segment-wise, among the top ten apparel suppliers to the US, imports from Bangladesh and Indonesia shot up by 62.23 per cent and 62.31 per cent year-on-year respectively. Imports from India and Pakistan too grew around 53-54 per cent. On the other hand, imports from Honduras, which is among the top 10 suppliers, registered a growth of only 20.97 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year.

In the non-apparel category, among the top ten suppliers, imports from Cambodia soared by 74.37 per cent year-on-year. Imports from Italy and Vietnam too climbed 35.81 per cent and 25.71 per cent respectively. But imports from Turkey registered a drop of 4.96 percent.

Of the total US textile and apparel imports of $32.368 billion during the period under review, cotton products were worth $14.495 billion, while man-made fibre products accounted for $16.259 billion, followed by $739.258 million of wool products, and $874.120 million of products from silk and vegetable fibres.

In 2020, the US textile and apparel imports had decreased sharply, mainly on account of the COVID-19 pandemic induced disruption, to $89.596 billion compared to imports of $111.033 billion in 2019. But imports rebounded again in 2021 to surpass pre-pandemic level and ended at $113.938 billion.

The import figures indicate that US economy is witnessing fast recovery. As far as textile and apparel imports is concerned, the world’s largest economy will continue to support economic recovery in developing countries.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)