Apparel imports from China to the United States fell to $3.534 bn during the first quarter of 2023, marking a 34 percent decrease year on year and a 14.6 percent decrease from the last quarter of 2022. The downward trend reflects an overall decrease in goods imports from China.
An analysis of data from market report disclosed a decline in US apparel imports to $3.534 bn in the period from January to March 2023. This compared to the $4.104 bn recorded in the period from October to December 2022, indicating a quarter-on-quarter decrease of approximately 14.63 percent. In the first quarter of 2022, the shipment was valued at $5.377 bn, thus showing a significant year-on-year decrease of 34 percent. US imports were previously recorded as $7.571 bn in Q3 and $5.018 bn in Q2.
In 2022, US apparel imports from China totalled $22.073 bn, an increase from the $20.465 bn reported in 2021. The import figures for previous years were $18.642 bn in 2020, $25.413 bn in 2019, and $27.637 bn in 2018.
In the fabric sector, US imports were valued at $133.816 mn in the first quarter of 2023, showing a decrease compared to the $166.094 mn in Q4, 2022, and $223.317 mn in Q1, 2022. In the whole of 2022, the US imported fabric worth $811.543 mn, which was a marginal decrease from the $831.641 mn recorded in 2021. Previous fabric import figures were $829.641 mn in 2020, $964.872 mn in 2019, and $1,337.501 mn in 2018, as per market report.
