US textiles & apparel imports up 31.59% in January-May 2022

Apparel constituted the bulk of textiles and garments imports by the US in January-May 2022, and were valued at $40.939 billion, while non-apparel imports accounted for $13.920 billion, according to the latest Major Shippers Report, released by the US department of commerce.

Segment-wise, among the top 10 apparel suppliers to the US, imports from Indonesia and Bangladesh shot up by 59.75 per cent and 59.06 per cent year-on-year respectively. Imports from Pakistan and India too grew at 56.49 per cent and 55.06 per cent respectively. The imports from Honduras, which is also among the top 10 suppliers, registered a growth of 31.18 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year.

In the non-apparel category, among the top 10 suppliers, imports from Cambodia soared by 66.88 per cent year-on-year. Imports from Vietnam and Italy too climbed 31.05 per cent and 29.91 per cent respectively. On the other hand, imports from Turkey dipped by 9.38 per cent.

Of the total US textile and apparel imports of $54.859 billion during the period under review, man-made fibre products were worth $27.534 billion, while cotton products accounted for $24.521 billion, followed by $1.510 billion of products from silk and vegetable fibres, and $1.294 billion of wool products.

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 latest import figures indicate that US economy is witnessing fast recovery, and the world’s largest economy is continuing to support economic recovery in developing countries.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)