The swimwear imports of the USA have been on a steady decline. In 2022, imports were valued at US $ 1.43 billion but saw a sharp drop to US $ 890.70 million in 2023. 2024 hasn’t offered any sigh of relief, indicating the consumer demand for swimwear in the USA isn’t getting any better.
According to official data released by OTEXA, the USA imported swimwear worth US $ 655.69 million from January to October 2024, declining by 9.90 per cent on a year-on-year basis. All major swimwear-exporting countries to the USA have seen reductions in their shipments.
Vietnam, leading the tally, exported swimwear worth US $ 199.96 million, dropping by 6 per cent. China (US $ 180.21 million), Indonesia (US $ 54.34 million), Sri Lanka (US $ 31.38 million), Bangladesh (US $ 25.57 million) and Colombia (US $ 21.35 million) also reported declines of 13.50 per cent, 7.54 per cent, 7.27 per cent, 39.28 per cent and 21.37 per cent, respectively.
Amid the overall slump, two countries from the top 10 list stood out with notable increases: Cambodia and Egypt. Cambodia exported swimwear worth US $ 39.41 million to the USA, up by 5.81 per cent, while Egypt saw a substantial 29 per cent rise, with exports valued at US $ 16.48 million.
What’s noteworthy is Kenya’s performance. The country recorded a massive 115.15 per cent growth, exporting swimwear worth US $ 11.23 million to the USA, accounting for 95 per cent of total swimwear exports from Sub-Saharan African countries to the USA in 2024 (as of October).
