US apparel exports rebound, start strong in 2017

Exports of apparel to the US are back on an upward trend, posting a 21.6 percent month-on-month growth to open the year. According to the latest figures of the Department of Commerce's Office of Textiles and Apparel, the volume of garment shipments to the US amounted to 2.42 billion square meters in January up from December's 1.99 billion square meters.

Although the numbers represent an 11 percent drop YoY, figures were up 5.3 percent in terms of value, reaching almost $7 billion.

Despite this, eight of the top 10 supplier countries to the US recorded year-on-year increases, with five posting double-digit gains.

Leading the pack is China, the largest garment exporter to the US, which saw a 13.3 percent rise in shipments at 1.07 billion square meters, up from the 808 million square meters it exported in December.

Vietnam took second place, booking a 23.5 percent jump to 348 million square meters, a slightly more than 10 percent increase from the previous month.

Bangladesh remained the third-biggest exporter despite recording a less than 1 percent YoY growth, shipping 177 million square meters worth of clothing.

Cambodia is another double-digit gainer posting a 12.7 percent year-on-year ascent in exports at 81 million square meters, reversing its largest decline last December at 27.3 percent. India also witnessed shipments climb 8.6 percent to 94 million square meters.

Of the remaining top 10 supplier countries, Pakistan recorded an 11.6 percent rise at 48 million square meters, El Salvador saw a 9 percent drop to 49 million square meters while Indonesia booked an almost 12 percent increase at 120 million square meters. Honduras shipments moved upward by 1.2 percent at 58 million square meters. Rounding up the list is Mexico, which posted a 1.1 percent decline at 62 million square meters.