California Apparel News

Consumers loosened their purse strings this year and spent nearly 3.5 percent more on apparel and textile imports than last year.

From January to October, the United States imported $99.7 billion in apparel and textiles, compared with $96.2 billion during the first 10 months of 2012.

Once again, China had the largest share, accounting for more than 41 percent of all apparel and textiles brought into the country. From January to October this year, China’s share totaled $41 billion, which was a 2.4 percent boost over 2012.

Countries that made major inroads into selling apparel and textile to the United States included Vietnam, India and Bangladesh. Vietnam saw its shipments of apparel and textiles mushroom 13.7 percent to $7.4 billion during the first 10 months of this year compared with $6.5 billion last year. It is the No. 2 provider of clothing to the U.S. market.

Bangladesh, despite the collapse of a garment-factory building that killed 1,129 workers and generated negative headlines around the world, had an 11.67 percent surge in apparel and textile exports to the United States, totaling $4.4 billion this year, compared with $4 billion the previous year. India also did well, seeing its U.S. apparel and textile exports climb 7.2 percent to $5.3 billion versus $4.9 billion the previous year. It is the third-largest provider of apparel and textiles to this country.

The United States made modest gains in its attempt to export more garments and textiles overseas. During the first 10 months of this year, the U.S. sent $20 billion in apparel and textiles to other countries, a 4.4 percent rise over the previous year. Most of that was to Canada and Mexico.