Global apparel exports: EU displaces China from top spot

For the first time since 2005, China was not the world's leading apparel exporter last year. This is according to a report by the trade magazine “The Spin Off”, which refers to current data from the World Trade Organization (WTO).

According to the report, European Union (EU) member states exported apparel worth a total of 166 billion dollars in 2024. This amounted to a global market share of 29.7 percent.

Global sourcing activities are spread across more countries

China was close behind, with apparel exports totalling 165 billion dollars. Its market share was 29.6 percent. Classic production countries such as Bangladesh (38 billion dollars), Vietnam (34 billion dollars) and Turkey (18 billion dollars) followed at a considerable distance.

According to the report, China's loss of its traditional top spot was due to increasing “fragmentation of the global sourcing map”. This development is attributed to price increases, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and trade conflicts between China and the US.

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

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