Textiles, Apparel & Sporting Goods

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Welcome to the International Trade Administration’s Global Textiles, Apparel, & Sporting Goods industry webpage. This site is designed to provide your company with the most recent international industry market research, trade leads, and event information.

Our network of trade specialists and industry experts throughout the U.S. and in foreign markets abroad stands ready to help you increase your export sales by supplying you with essential market research and trade opportunities. This site will also keep you abreast of industry events such as educational seminars, tradeshows, and exhibitions. Please let us know how we can serve you.

Featured Events

U.S.A. Pavilion at The Hotel Show – May 15-17, 2012, Dubai, UAE. The Hotel Show is the most important trade fair dedicated to the hospitality industry in the Middle East, and it is recognized as the largest hospitality event for the MENA, GCC & emerging markets. Now in its 13th year, The Hotel Show 2012 promises to provide an excellent opportunity for suppliers of hotel and hospitality products to meet decision makers that comprise the Middle East region and beyond. This year, OTEXA will feature fabrics and textile supplies for spas, sun protection, yachts/boats, and swimming pools, as well as hospitality fabrics, wallcoverings and bed linens. The Hotel Show 2011 showcased companies from more than 45 overseas nations, welcoming 420 exhibitors, and attracting 14,800 visitors from 93 countries. OTEXA will sponsor both a USA Pavilion and a catalog/sample show at The Hotel Show 2012. For additional information contact Mary Lynn Landgraf, (202) 482-7909 or Mary-Lynn.Landgraf@trade.gov. You may also send a fax to (202) 482-2331.

U.S.A Sample Pavilion at Eurosatory 2012 – June 11-15, 2012, Paris, France. Eurosatory is the premier land and land-air defense trade show serving the global defense market. Corporate officials as well as high-ranking visitors from many militaries attend, including ministers of defense, chiefs of staff, senior army commanding generals, and top government decision-makers. Eurosatory 2012 will present the latest innovations and technologies for the armed forces while displaying to buyers new and future defense and security equipment. Eurosatory 2012 will bring together small- and medium-size companies, subcontractors and suppliers, and major international manufacturers to meet with key military and government decision makers from around the globe. For additional information contact Mary Lynn Landgraf, (202) 482-7909 or Mary-Lynn.Landgraf@trade.gov. You may also send a fax to (202) 482-2331.

Africa Aerospace and Defence 2012 – Sep 19-21, 2012, Air Force Base Waterkloof Centurion Pretoria, South Africa. AAD is the largest exhibit of air, sea, and land capabilities on the African continent. This exhibit offers your company the opportunity to meet global leaders in the defense and general aviation supply chain while showcasing your company’s full capabilities. With past show records reaching 13,000 trade visitors and 80,000 public visitors from 31 countries around the world (including 60 VIP delegations from 16 different countries), there is no doubt that AAD is a platform for bringing together worldwide industry players to showcase their technological innovations. For Additional Information: Please visit http://www.aadexpo.co.za/ for more information or contact Mary Lynn Landgraf, (202) 482-7909 or Mary-Lynn.Landgraf@trade.gov.

OTEXA Trade Events – The Office of Textiles and Apparel often updates upcoming trade events that span the industry and take place around the world.

Featured Webinars

Featured Resources

WeConnectFashion – A search engine and database that connects fashion brands, retailers and service providers with each other and with the marketplace. This website provides business networking, market research and more.

New to Exporting? – Arm yourself with the information needed to access the growing foreign market. Utilize export opportunities and increase your company’s growth.

Hot Issues – Stay up to date with the changing factors worldwide. Search capability allows you to narrow your search to articles involving the countries your interested in.

Priority Market Videos- 58 percent of U.S. exporters export to only one market, mainly Canada. Many small and midsized companies that work with the U.S. Commercial Service have found new customers in dozens of markets. Among the best prospect markets for U.S. companies are Vietnam, India, Indonesia, China, Taiwan and Thailand. From the short videos on this page, you’ll learn why these markets are important. You’ll also learn about a few of the many sectors where U.S. companies are competitive. Importantly, you’ll also meet the top U.S. commercial diplomats in these markets who, along with their staff of local market and industry experts, will help you evaluate, enter and succeed.

Want to know what the top markets are? Check out the Top 25 Market Reports for Winter Apparel and Sporting Goods. Additional reports for other products available on request. Then check out the Country Reports for the top markets which provide provide comprehensive information including market conditions, best export prospects, financing, finding distributors, and legal and cultural issues.

Selected Market Reports

Market research and reports are available through U.S. Commercial Services. Your local branch can provide additional material and information specific to your products or services. Contact your local branch for additional material. The reports include points of contact, trade events, trade data, best prospects, and market demand.

Greece - The 1,200 businesses licensed to sell firearms in Greece, create an impression that the sector is quite large. In reality however, most stores handling hunting and fishing goods are small businesses. There is an emerging market for online retailers and importers of hunting and fishing goods.

Mexico - The Mexican textile industry is very sensitive to external and internal factors such as changes in the production model, inclusion of China and Asian competitors in WTO, antidumping, and counterfeit among others. Due to these reasons, U.S. exporters must be aware of key aspects and requirements for exporting to Mexico.

Japan - Japan is an important market for apparel. In 2010, the United States sold $244 million worth of apparel products to Japan, a 12.6% increase over 2009. Although overall consumption dropped significantly right after the earthquake/tsunami disaster in March 2011, consumption had levels recovered by June. The “fast fashion” boom has slowed down and now consumers are looking for something different. This is a good sign for American apparel suppliers. The $121.1 billion Japanese apparel market is open to imported apparel and does not have significant tariff or non-tariff barriers.

Canada - The Canadian fashion industry is quite small; 96% of the industry is SME’s, 38% with 1-4 employees and 58% with 5-99. However it is experiencing a revival, mainly because: There are few entry barriers; Little capital investment is needed; New niches continue to be found and expanded. Domestic production is steadily declining and there is a growing need for imports. Currently, 79% of apparel in Canada is imported. The demand is stable; manufacturing is decreasing while imports are increasing.

Ukraine - With a population of 45.8 million people, Ukraine is considered a promising and growing market for U.S. suppliers of textiles and apparel. The market size in this category is estimated at USD 2.8 billion, which is dominated by imports. The prospects for 2011-2015 are optimistic. U.S. market share, according to Global Trade Atlas statistics, has declined from 2.5% in 2009 to 1.7% in 2010. Ukraine can be an attractive place for outsourced fabrication.

Japan - The size of the Japanese production of high performance industrial fibers is estimated at US$5.9 billion. Despite current economic conditions, the world and Japanese markets are expected to grow over the next few years. High tech industrial fabrics for medical products, renewable energy and environmental products, transportation, and safety and protective products may have good potential in Japan.

Korea - Despite there being an economic downturn last year, Korea’s apparel industry has shown steady growth during the last few years with the rapid embrace of both foreign and local fashions, evolving retail channels, and an increasingly wider variety of apparel in the marketplace. Koreans are very brand conscious. Whether they are high end brands or American casuals, Korean consumers demand global fashion brands and they are heavily influenced by what Korean and Hollywood stars wear. Thus, very high-end products were never affected by the recession in Korea.

Poland - The apparel market is considered very campaign driven. Poles are highly receptive to marketing and advertising. The purchasing power of Polish consumers is rising steadily and the average Polish consumer can afford to and does spend more on clothing and footwear. They are becoming increasingly fashion conscious, and demanding higher quality and more sophisticated products.

Japan - U.S. companies who are interested in entering the market should have excellent business controls, dependable communication and the ability to produce and ship their products on time in addition to a unique and exciting collection of apparel. U.S. apparel exports to Japan have been increasing for the last three years and have shown more than a 10% increase for the first six months of 2010.

Saudi Arabia – This report focuses on the high-end segment of the apparel market, which is dominated by imports from Europe and the United States.

Taiwan - If you consider expanding your business overseas, Taiwan should be high on your agenda. Taiwan consumers spend approximately 3.5 – 4.0 percent of their household income on apparel.

View a Trade Data Snapshot

Below are links to view trade data snapshots for selected NAICS codes. Additional trade data is available through the TradeStats Express Database.