US apparel import growth slowed to a near halt in April after surging in March. Total US apparel imports were flat in the month on both a dollar and square meter equivalent basis, bringing the year-to-date import increases in the two measures to three per cent and 4.9 per cent respectively.

Total apparel imports from China fell by 12 per cent in April on both a dollar and square meter equivalent basis. Apparel imports from Vietnam increased by 16.5 per cent in the month, making it the number two source of US apparel imports.

Apparel imports from India grew by 11 per cent. Imports from Bangladesh have grown by 7 per cent so far in 2015, a swing from the 2.3 per cent decline in 2014. Indonesia’s apparel shipments to the US declined by almost three per cent in the first three months of 2015, resulting in a 0.4 per cent share loss, as the country tries to grapple with infrastructure deficiencies and labor issues.

Imports from Haiti have risen by more than 13 per cent in 2015 as the apparel industry there begins to develop. Imports from Myanmar have grown by 123 per cent in the first four months of this year.