Trends in World Textile and Clothing Trade

• Publication date: March 2009
• Report size: 66 pages

World textile and clothing trade grew by 10.6% to US$583 bn in 2007. The rise was the fourth double digit increase in five years and followed growth of 13.5% in 2003, 12.0% in 2004, 5.2% in 2005, and 10.0% in 2006. Prior to 2003, the last double digit rise had been witnessed in 1995. Three trade flows involving Asia grew at double digit rates in 2007. In textiles, exports from Asia to Africa increased by 18%, while those from Asia to ...

World textile and clothing trade grew by 10.6% to US$583 bn in 2007. The rise was the fourth double
digit increase in five years and followed growth of 13.5% in 2003, 12.0% in 2004, 5.2% in 2005, and
10.0% in 2006. Prior to 2003, the last double digit rise had been witnessed in 1995. Three trade flows
involving Asia grew at double digit rates in 2007. In textiles, exports from Asia to Africa increased
by 18%, while those from Asia to Europe rose by 16%. But intra-North American textile trade fell by
5%. In clothing, Asian exports to Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries surged by
95%. However, exports from Asia to Europe fell, albeit by a marginal 0.3%. At the same time, intra-
North American trade declined by 16% and exports from South and Central America to North America
fell by 7%.
The US textile and clothing trade deficit rose by 3.7% to US$92.26 bn, of which 87% was in clothing
alone. The EU27 deficit rose by a much faster 13.7%. But at US$63.03 bn it equated to only 68% of
the US deficit. China continued to have the world’s biggest textile and clothing trade surplus, followed
by India, Turkey, Italy and Pakistan.
The world’s biggest textile exporter in 2007 was the EU27, followed by China, Hong Kong, the USA,
South Korea, Taiwan, India, Turkey, Pakistan and Japan. The EU27 was also the biggest textile
importer, followed by the USA—although China ranked as high as third, followed by Hong Kong,
Japan, Turkey, Mexico, Vietnam, Canada and Russia. In clothing, China was the world’s leading
exporter for the second year running, followed by the EU27, Hong Kong, Turkey, Bangladesh, India,
Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico and the USA. As for clothing imports, 46% of the world total went to EU
countries in 2007, while the USA took 24% and Japan took 7%. The countries which followed in
importance had only small shares and included Hong Kong, Russia, Canada, Switzerland, the United
Arab Emirates, South Korea and Australia.

Clothing And Accessories Stores Industry in China

Table of Contents

SUMMARY


GROWTH IN TEXTILE AND CLOTHING TRADE
Textiles and clothing
Textile trade flows
Clothing trade flows
Intra-Asian textile and clothing trade

TEXTILE AND CLOTHING DEFICITS AND SURPLUSES
Deficits
Surpluses


LEADING TEXTILE AND CLOTHING EXPORTERS AND IMPORTERS
Leading textile exporters
Leading textile importers
Leading clothing exporters
Leading clothing importers

STATISTICAL APPENDIX

List of tables

Table 1: World trade in textiles and clothing, 2007
Table 2: Major regional flows in world exports of textiles and clothing, 2000-07
Table 3: Asian trade flows in textiles and clothing, 2000-07
Table 4: US textile and clothing trade, 1990-2007
Table 5: Textile and clothing trade balances, selected countries, 1980-2007
Table 6: Labour costs in the textile industry, by country, 1980-2008
Table 7: The world's leading exporters and importers of textiles, 1980-2007
Table 8: The world's leading exporters and importers of clothing, 1980-2007
Table 9: Trends in average exchange rates of selected Asian countries and the EU against the US dollar,
1997-2008
Table 10: Share of textile trade in total merchandise trade and in trade in manufactures, by region, 2007
Table 11: Share of clothing trade in total merchandise trade and in trade in manufactures, by region, 2007
Table 12: Exports of textiles from selected economies, 1990-2007
Table 13: Imports of textiles into selected economies, 1990-2007
Table 14: Exports of clothing from selected economies, 1990-2007
Table 15: Imports of clothing into selected economies, 1990-2007
Table 16: Exports of textiles by principal region, 2000-07
Table 17: Exports of clothing by principal region, 2000-07
Table 18: Textile imports into Canada and the USA from selected regions and countries, 2000-07
Table 19: Clothing imports into Canada and the USA from selected regions and countries, 2000-07
Table 20: Textile imports into the EU and Japan from selected regions and countries, 2000-07
Table 21: Clothing imports into the EU and Japan from selected regions and countries, 2000-07
Table 22: Textile imports into China and Mexico from selected regions and countries, 2000-07
Table 23: Trade in textiles and clothing for selected economies, 1980-2007