World Trade in T-Shirts

World Trade in T-Shirts

SUMMARY
GLOBAL IMPORTS OF T-SHIRTS
MAJOR T-SHIRT IMPORTING COUNTRIES
EU IMPORTS OF T-SHIRTS
Turkey
Value
Volume
Average unit price
Bangladesh
Value
Volume
Average unit price
China
Value
Volume
Average price
India
Value
Volume
Average unit prices
Other suppliers
US IMPORTS OF T-SHIRTS
General market trends
Major regional suppliers: Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Guatemala and
Nicaragua
Value
Volume
Average price
Conclusion
Major Asian suppliers: China, India, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Indonesia
China
India
Bangladesh
Cambodia
Indonesia
Conclusion
PROFILES OF THREE MAJOR T-SHIRT COMPANIES IN NORTH AMERICA: GILDAN
ACTIVEWEAR, HANESBRANDS AND DELTA APPAREL
Gildan Activewear
Company development
Sales
Products and markets
Manufacturing facilities and supply chain management Future plans
Hanesbrands
Sales
Products and markets
Manufacturing facilities and supply chain management
Delta Apparel
Products and markets
Sales
Manufacturing facilities and supply chain management
List of tables
Table 1: Global imports of T-shirts, 2002-06
Table 2: Imports of T-shirts by leading destination, 2006
Table 3: EU25: imports of T-shirts by leading supplier, by value, 2004-06
Table 4: EU25: imports of T-shirts by leading supplier, by volume, 2004-06
Table 5: EU25: average T-shirt prices by supplier, 2004-06
Table 6: USA: imports of T-shirts by leading supplier, by value, 2004-06
Table 7: USA: imports of T-shirts by leading supplier, by volume, 2004-06
Table 8: USA: average T-shirt prices by supplier, 2004-06

World trade in T-shirts has been growing at a healthy pace in recent years. Over the four years to
2006 global imports rose at an annual average rate of 14%, reaching US$26 bn.
In terms of geographical region, the largest market for T-shirts is the EU. In 2006 the EU imported
US$9 bn worth of T-shirts, or more than one-third of global imports. The second largest market for
T-shirts is the USA. In 2006 the country imported approximately 17% of world imports, or US$4.4 bn
worth. These two regions together took more than half of global imports of T-shirts during that year.
The remainder was spread over a number of countries, led by Japan and followed by Hong Kong,
Canada, Australia and South Korea.
As far as the EU market is concerned, Turkey was the largest supplier by value in 2006. Imports from
the country were worth Euro2.1 bn (US$2.6 bn) and represented 29% of total EU T-shirt imports
during the year. Bangladesh was the second largest supplier with a 16% share of total imports.
Imports from China and India, in third and fourth place respectively, were particularly impressive
between 2004 and 2006. Indeed, supplies of T-shirts from India to the EU shot up by an average of
49% a year while the corresponding growth rate for China was 34%.
As far as the US market is concerned, the largest supplier by value during 2006 was Mexico, followed
by Honduras, El Salvador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Guatemala. Collectively, these six
countries accounted for 54% of US T-shirt imports during the year. Several large North American
companies—such as Gildan Activewear, Hanesbrands and Delta Apparel—have invested in production
facilities in these countries in the hope of profiting from low labour costs, geographical proximity, and
trade preference agreements. Output from these facilities is sold to parent companies in North
America, which helps export growth in the country of operation. The seventh and eighth largest
suppliers of T-shirts to the USA by value in 2006 were, respectively, China and India. Both countries
enjoyed particularly strong growth in the EU market between 2004 and 2006. The growth reflects an
improvement in these countries’ competitiveness since the removal of quotas at the end of 2004.