After three years of struggle due to global disruptions in fashion supply chain, the apparel imports of USA have touched pre-pandemic level in January ’22.
According to the latest official data released by OTEXA and studied by Apparel Resources, the apparel imports of the country have reached US $ 7.54 billion in January ’22 – almost same as the value spent by US buyers on apparels (US $ 7.56 billion) during January ’19.
As compared to 2021 and 2020, the growth rate stands at 36.77 per cent and 11.68 per cent, respectively.
The rebound in importing values consolidates the fact that US apparel consumers aren’t shying away from spending money on apparel and related products.
China continued to be the largest apparel shipper to USA in January ’22 with US $ 1.91 billion worth of exports to USA, noting 47.11 per cent Y-o-Y increase over January ’21.
However, as compared with January ’19, China has seen huge blow on its export values that shrunk by 24.20 per cent!
Vietnam has somehow crossed (though marginally) its pre-pandemic export values in the US market as it clocked US $ 1.28 billion in January ’22 as against US $ 1.26 billion in January ’19.
Bangladesh continues to be on the upward trajectory as its apparel shipment to USA reached US $ 755.16 million in January ’22, much more than the values clocked in January ’21 (US $ 519.30 million), January ’20 (US $ 622.24 million) and January ’19 (US $ 531.70 million).
India too performed impressively well as USA imported US $ 441.40 million in January ’22, noting 53.40 per cent on Y-o-Y basis; 19.13 per cent over January ’20; and 15.78 per cent over January ’19.