The United States is increasingly importing less of textiles and apparel as manufacturing remains in a slump and consumer confidence isn’t faring all that much better. In September, US imports of apparel saw a 5.8 per cent fall from the same time last year and a greater decline than October’s 4.3 per cent. Textile imports were down six per cent in the month.

In dollar terms, textile and apparel imports were down 13 per cent this September over last September. Consumer confidence fell to 98.6 in October after a nine-year high of 104.1 in September, as consumers’ outlook about the economy grew a little more tepid. American manufacturing, however, appears to be on an upswing. The Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI) for October rose to 51.9 compared to September’s 51.5, and both above 50 readings indicate growth.

However, when it comes to textile and apparel manufacturing, growth may be more tame as textile mills cut jobs in September. Pakistan lost the greatest market share in September, with its textile and apparel exports to the US falling 11.9 per cent. China also lost a 9.7 per cent share in the month after falling 7.5 per cent in August. Vietnam’s share slipped 8.3 per cent, while Bangladesh saw a slight 1.3 per cent uptick in its textile and apparel exports to the US.