According to the most recent commercial data available on Fibre2Fashion’s market analysis tool, TexPro, the United States recorded a 34.27% year-over-year decline in apparel imports from China in the first quarter of 2023. Imports from China totaled $5.377 billion in the first quarter of 2022 , $4.122 billion in Q1 2021, $3.406 billion in Q1 2020, $5.846 billion in Q1 2019 and $5.860 billion in Q1 2018.
The United States imported $3.288 billion worth of garments from Vietnam in the first quarter of this year, which accounted for 16.84 percent of total imports. Bangladesh followed with $2 billion (10.25%), India with $1.339 billion (6.86%) and Indonesia with $1.197 billion (6.13%). The other main suppliers are Mexico (3.83%), Cambodia (3.81%), Honduras (3.02%), Italy (2.81%) and Nicaragua (2.74%) .
Despite a significant decline, China remains the top supplier of clothing to the United States in the first quarter of the current year, contributing 18.11% of total imports. Vietnam, Bangladesh, India and Indonesia are also important suppliers. The first quarter of 2023 saw a 34.27% year-on-year decline in US apparel imports from China, according to TexPro data.
The value of clothing imports into the United States fell on a quarterly basis. In Q3 2022, imports were valued at $29.389 billion, falling to $21.146 billion in Q4 2022, then to $19.525 billion in Q1 2023. This downward trend was also evident in Q1 2022, with imports totaling $24.368 billion, according to TexPro.
The United States imposed restrictions on clothing made from cotton produced in China’s Xinjiang region in June 2022.
Fibre2Fashion Information Office (KUL)
