According to data released by OTEXA, the International Trade Administration’s Office of Textiles and Apparel, US’ apparel imports increased in the month of January although the cost of goods continued going downwards. The total apparel imports increased by 5.3 per cent, on an MFA basis in the month, to US $ 6.98 billion.
Also Read – US apparel imports continue to fall
On the basis of a square metre equivalent (SME), imports saw a 10.7 per cent spurt compared to that in the same month in 2016. This clearly indicated a shift toward cheaper goods compared to last year. Noteworthy is that the average cost per unit of an imported garment decreased by 4.9 per cent.
Among the top 10 trading partners, Vietnam was the only nation to increase its share of US apparel imports, gaining 1.7 percentage points, to 15.7 per cent of total US apparel imports. Shipments from Vietnam increased by 23.4 per cent in the month of January, to more than US $ 1 billion. Bangladesh, El Salvador and China lost the maximum share during that period.
