EU Apparel and Textile Trade Taps Growth in 2016

According to a report released by EURATEX, the technical textile and menswear exporters in the European Union (EU) have shown great performance outside EU-28 in the year 2016. On Y-o-Y basis, the technical textile segment registered growth of 2.4 per cent to touch € 10 billion-mark in exports. This accounted for 38 per cent share of the total textile exports by the EU last year. The major importer during the year was the USA, which purchased 20 per cent of the total technical textile exports by the EU.

On the other hand, menswear exports outside the EU-28 reached € 5 billion, which was nearly 23 per cent of the total apparel exports by the EU. Switzerland, the major menswear importer, noted a drop in the value of imports by 3.9 per cent. Meanwhile, the EU witnessed commendable double-digit growth in value-wise menswear exports to South Korea, Australia, Serbia, Mexico, Israel and Ukraine.

Furthermore, menswear imports by the EU also jumped during the reporting year. Amounting € 20 billion, the share of menswear import in value terms was 28 per cent, whereas volume-wise it contributed 25 per cent to the total apparel imports by the EU. The menswear imports soared 0.5 per cent in value and 4.4 per cent in volume terms. Meanwhile, the UVR (Unit Value Realisation) of menswear fell by 3.7 per cent, which explains the reason behind the growth registered in this segment.

During 2016, imports of womenswear too improved significantly. The segment improved by 0.8 per cent to reach € 29 billion, contributing 36 per cent to the total apparel imports by the EU. China, Bangladesh and Turkey were the top exporters of womenswear to the EU.

The EURATEX report also unfurled that trousers, shirts and coats were the top exported products in menswear category with a share of 32 per cent, 19 per cent and 17 per cent, respectively. This massive percentage share was propelled by the weak Euro all through the year, claims EURATEX. Adding on, the report underlined that the exports of rugs and carpets outside the EU-28 were also up by 5.5 per cent on the yearly note.

Not just in exports, the EU was up in its imports as well. Home textile import from outside the Union stood at € 6 billion in 2016. The major exporting countries of the said category to the EU were China, Pakistan, Turkey and India with a share of 33 per cent, 25 per cent, 16 per cent and 11 per cent, respectively.