China remained by far the EU’s largest clothing supplier in the first three months of 2016 though a number of other countries gained market share. EU clothing imports from Bangladesh rose by 4.2 per cent in the whole of 2015 and were up by 8 per cent in the first three months of 2016. As a result, Bangladesh’s share of EU clothing imports reached 24.6 per cent. Imports from Cambodia shot up by 12.6 per cent in 2015 and were up by 17.7 per cent in the first three months of 2016. Imports from Pakistan rose by 6.5 per cent in 2015 and were up by 8.4 per cent in the first three months of 2016. And imports from Vietnam increased by 3.2 per cent in 2015 and were up by 1.6 per cent in the first three months of 2016.

The average price of EU clothing imports from China was the third lowest among the EU’s leading ten suppliers in 2015.

Productivity in China is superior to that enjoyed by its counterparts in south-east Asia and south Asia. China has a much better infrastructure than most other major clothing manufacturing countries in Asia. Its supply chain is more efficient and manufacturers in the country are able to guarantee timely delivery of their products.