E.U. Clothing Imports : Latest Trends (Monthly)

Key findings

1. Import volumes rose sharply, but value growth lagged as unit prices fell.

2. Price pressure intensified, driven by China’s “ultra-fast fashion,” and spread to other suppliers.

3. Market shares shifted toward non-Chinese suppliers, while knitwear led the increase in volumes.

Import volumes surge, values lag

EU apparel imports rose far more sharply in December last year, up 39% in volume compared with the same month in 2024.

In US-dollar terms, imports increased by just 9.3%, reflecting a 21% decline in unit values.

The stronger euro drove a 2.2% drop in shipments, while unit prices fell by 29.5%.

Across the full year, clothing imports climbed 12.1% in volume, but were flat in euros, and up 5.2% in dollars.

China-driven price pressure spreads

Price pressure is being driven by China, where so-called “ultra-fast fashion” has captured significant market share in the European Union at the expense of regional retailers.

The price decline has also spread to other supplier countries, which have clearly been forced to cut prices as well.

In December, unit prices at the EU border fell 12.5% year-on-year for Chinese products, but plunged 34.5% for goods from other origins overall, the so-called Rest of the World (RoW).

Market shares shift, knitwear leads growth
Apparel imports from China rose 12% in volume in December, while shipments from the RoW surged by 49%, reflecting China’s loss of market share.

For full-year 2025, imports from China increased by 11.7%, while shipments from the RoW rose by 15.9%.

The overall jump in apparel imports was driven by a sharp 50% increase in knitwear volumes, while woven apparel rose by 19.4%.

In December, unit prices for knit apparel dropped by 29.5% in dollars and by 37% in euros from a year earlier, whereas woven apparel unit values declined by just 4.6% in dollars and 14.7% in euros.