The U.S. apparel imports data by the country from January-September of 2023 and 2024 suggests that while the overall U.S. apparel import saw a slight decline, there was significant movement within the market, with some countries experiencing growth and others declined.
Total U.S. apparel imports decreased by 2.47% between Jan-Sep 2023 and Jan-Sep 2024, said Mohiuddin Rubel, former Director of BGMEA and Additional Managing Director, Denim Expert Ltd.
Among all the reported countries, a substantial decrease in imports from Bangladesh is concerning, which is -6.29%.
This is a significant drop compared to other major suppliers, he said.
However, the decline was even higher in the January-August period, meaning that a significant growth in import from Bangladesh was achieved in the month of September 2024.
Several countries showed growth in apparel imports to the U.S., including Vietnam (1.27%), Cambodia (7.15%), and Pakistan (2.41%).
This suggests a shift in sourcing patterns. Varied performance of different apparel-exporting countries, indicate a competitive global market which has been significantly driven by price and supply chain stability, Rubel said.