The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) has released the results of its 32nd Global Textile Industry Survey (GTIS), conducted between May 12–22, 2025, highlighting a mixed global landscape marked by regional disparities, demand concerns, and cautious optimism for the future.
While the overall global business sentiment remains subdued at -20 percentage points, the survey reveals sharply contrasting performances across regions. Africa leads as a growth outlier with a +23 pp business situation balance, followed by South America at +6 pp, while East Asia reports the most significant downturn at -48 pp. However, future expectations are notably more optimistic, with a +24 pp global outlook, led by North America (+65 pp) and Africa (+54 pp). East Asia remains pessimistic with -18 pp.
Key Data Highlights:
• Global order intake has dropped for four consecutive months, falling to -21 pp in May. Africa again tops the chart at +18 pp, while Europe and East Asia face significant drops
• Capacity utilization reached 72% globally, with Asian markets leading. Upstream operations like spinning are performing better than downstream segments
• Average backlog stands at 2.3 months, indicating modest recovery
• The top concern for 61% of respondents is weak demand, followed by issues like operational costs and trade barriers
• Order cancellations have remained stable and minimal across all regions
Despite the ongoing global challenges, the textile industry continues to search for resilient growth pathways, with regional players like Africa and North America showing strong potential. The report offers strategic insights into capacity trends, global supply chain dynamics, and future confidence across key markets.
