US textile imports steady as Cambodia, Bangladesh gain market share

Insights

• US textile and apparel imports edged up 0.12 per cent to $80.486 billion during January–September 2025, as sourcing continued to shift away from China towards Southeast and South Asia.

• Apparel imports rose while non-apparel shipments declined.

• Strong growth from Cambodia, Bangladesh, Vietnam and India highlights diversification towards lower-cost, geopolitically neutral suppliers.

US textile and apparel imports inched up by 0.12 per cent to $80.486 billion during January–September 2025, from $80.389 billion a year earlier, according to newly released OTEXA data. The data release was delayed due to a historically long US government shutdown.

China retained its position as the largest supplier with a 19.28 per cent market share, followed by Vietnam at 16.80 per cent. However, China’s share continued to slide month after month, reflecting a structural shift in sourcing. American buyers are increasingly diversifying towards Southeast and South Asia to reduce tariff exposure, mitigate geopolitical risk, counter rising production and labour costs, and build more resilient supply chains.

During January–September 2025, apparel imports—the dominant product category—rose by 1.74 per cent to $60.342 billion, compared with $59.310 billion in the corresponding period of 2024. In contrast, non-apparel imports fell by 4.43 per cent to $20.144 billion, as slower housing activity, cautious consumer spending, and order rationalisation by retailers softened demand for home textiles, industrial textiles, and made-ups.

Sourcing diversification was particularly notable among leading apparel suppliers. US imports from Cambodia surged by 28.47 per cent, followed by Bangladesh at 18.64 per cent. Shipments also rose significantly from Vietnam (13.69 per cent), Indonesia (13.49 per cent), India (12.81 per cent), Mexico (1.56 per cent), Pakistan (14.02 per cent), and Jordan (10.78 per cent). By contrast, apparel shipments from China plunged by 29.89 per cent, while Honduras recorded a 13.40 per cent decline. These contrasting trends illustrate how lower-cost, duty-advantaged, or geopolitically neutral suppliers are gaining ground over China.

A similar realignment occurred in the non-apparel segment. Imports jumped sharply from Vietnam (24.97 per cent), Cambodia (14.77 per cent), India (7.30 per cent), Pakistan (3.53 per cent), and Indonesia (9.20 per cent). Meanwhile, shipments declined from China (22.09 per cent), Turkiye (7.21 per cent), Mexico (3.17 per cent), South Korea (0.87 per cent), and Italy (2.05 per cent). This highlights weakening competitiveness among traditional, higher-cost suppliers, particularly in price-sensitive categories.

Across product categories, US imports totalled $80.486 billion. Man-made fibre products dominated at $40.791 billion, supported by cost advantages, year-round availability, and strong demand for performance wear and synthetic-rich categories. Cotton-based products followed at $34.231 billion. Wool textiles reached $3,118.787 million, while silk and vegetable fibre products totalled $2,344.959 million, together maintaining a stable but modest share driven by specialised demand and niche applications.

In 2024, US textile and apparel imports grew marginally by 2.66 per cent to $107.723 billion. Apparel imports increased by 1.71 per cent to $79.257 billion, while non-apparel imports rose by 5.42 per cent to $28.465 billion. This modest expansion followed a sharp 20.51 per cent contraction in 2023, when imports fell to $104.959 billion from $132.201 billion in 2022. The rebound in 2022 had been fuelled by post-pandemic pent-up demand after a steep decline to $89.596 billion in 2020, from $111.033 billion in 2019. These fluctuations underscore the sector’s high sensitivity to global shocks, policy shifts, inflation-led consumption changes, and retail inventory cycles.