Trends in EU textile and clothing imports

ABSTRACT

EU textile and clothing imports fell in value by 7.7% to Euro106.10 bn (US$125.48 bn) in 2021 following a 5.0% increase in 2020. In terms of volume, however, imports rose by 10.5% to a record high. Textile imports plunged by 27.1% in value but rose by 12.7% in volume while clothing imports rose by 5.5% in value and 6.3% in volume. The average price of EU textile and clothing imports fell by a sharp 16.5% to its lowest level since 2014, reflecting a 35.4% plunge in the average price of EU textile imports and a 0.8% decline in the average price of EU clothing imports. The fall in the average price of EU textile imports reflected primarily a 56.7% plunge in the average price of EU textile imports from China which itself reflected a steep decline in imports of face masks from the country. Imports of these items had skewed the average price of textile imports from China upwards in the previous year as demand for them soared as a result of efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. China was, by far, the EU’s biggest textile and clothing supplying country in 2021. However, imports from the country declined in value by 27.6%. As a result, the share of EU textile and clothing imports which came from China fell in value terms from 42.1% to 33.0%. There was also a sharp decline in the share of EU textile and clothing imports which came from the UK but all of the other eight supplying countries which ranked among the leading ten gained share. In volume terms, EU textile and clothing imports from China rose by 7.7%. Nevertheless, its share of EU textile and clothing imports from all sources fell from 33.1% to 32.3%. Of the other nine suppliers, there were declines in the shares of EU textile and clothing imports which came from Cambodia and the UK but there were increases in the shares of EU textile and clothing imports which came from Bangladesh, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Tunisia, Turkey and Vietnam. © Textiles Intelligence Limited 2022.