China benefited from a significant drop in unit prices for its shipments to the US apparel market in September, signaling the resurgence of US buyers' interest in this major source of goods. Our report offers a monthly comparison of shipments from China, Vietnam, and other nations, presenting import data in terms of volumes, values, and unit values. Furthermore, the report delves into historical trends spanning from 2000 to 2023. Additionally, it includes an analysis of apparel crafted from cotton as opposed to man-made fibers.

EU's clothing imports continued to sharply decline in the second quarter in volume, with unit prices still rising in all HS 4-digit product categories. Our data cover clothing imports by the 27 members of the European Union per HS 4-digit product category, in the seond quarter from 2018 to 2023, with changes in volume, value, and unit value in euros and US dollars. The complete tables are available for downloading.

Cotton yarn prices did not fully follow the rise in cotton prices in India and Pakistan in August, with gross margins declining once again. Our report compares the prices of cotton fiber and yarn in China, India, and Pakistan for the past months and current month, offering a comprehensive and up-to-date view of the yarn/fiber spreads in the three countries. Gross margins of domestic spinners are displayed every month, with 14-year historical data available for download.

Inflation has remained stubbornly high in a few emerging countries in August, negatively affecting their competitive advantage. Our monthly report compares inflation rates in low-cost countries using historical data dating back to June 2007. Furthermore, we evaluate the effects of currency fluctuations against the US dollar, the euro, and the British pound to gauge the actual terms of trade for exporters.

US apparel imports continued to experience a notable decline across the majority of product categories during the second quarter. However, the increase in unit values was considerably slower with sharp differences among categories. Our report covers US apparel imports within each category from the first quarter of 2018 to 2023. The data are released in volume, value, and unit values, over the last five years. Second-quarter data spanning from 2011 to 2023 are accessible for download.