Figures from the Department of Commerce's Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) show the volume of apparel imports in January was 3.4 per cent higher year-on-year at 2.14billionn sq. mtr. equivalent (SME). This compares with the 2.07 billion SME imported in January 2013, and is 16.9 per cent higher than December. The numbers also exceed the 1.2 per cent year-on-year rise in imports of all goods and services into the US in January.
There gains by each of the US's three largest apparel suppliers during the month. China rose 5.5 per cent to 919 million SME, Vietnam surged 11.6 per cent to 238 million SME, and Bangladesh saw its shipments grow by 2.8 per cent to 166 million SME. The figures contradict rumours that buyers are diverting their orders to other countries instead of China. However, focus destination is Vietnam that has been gaining. Its apparel business is also on the rise owing to expected benefits of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade treaty with countries including Canada and the US. The country is the second-largest apparel supplier to the US, and was also ranked as the fastest-growing destination last year.
Bangladesh, despite calamities at its factories faced last year, leading to fears of factory safety issues, widespread strikes and labour wage issues, hasn’t witnessed slump in export orders as speculated. Other countries seeing higher year-on-year shipments during January included Honduras (up 6.8 per cent to 59 million SME), Mexico (up 1.4 per cent to 71 million SME), India (up 7.5 per cent to 82 million SME), and Pakistan (up 11.3 per cent to 57 million SME).
Declines were reported by Indonesia with below 4.3 per cent to 124 million SME, Cambodia going downward by 9.05 per cent to 83 million SME, and El Salvador witnessing slump of 1.9 per cent to 43 million SME. Overall, total textile and apparel imports into the US jumped 9.3 percent year-on-year in January to 5.04 billion SME. Within this, textile shipments surged 14 per cent during the month to 2.9 billion SME.
Otexa.ita.doc.gov
