The United States imported textiles and apparel worth US$ 9.017 billion in January 2014, registering an increase of 4.22 percent over imports of $8.652 billion made in the corresponding month last year, according to the latest Major Shippers Report, released by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

 

With $3.682 billion worth of goods supply, China accounted for 39.85 percent share of all US textile and garment imports in the first month of the current year.

 

Segment-wise, the US apparel imports during the year were valued at $6.842 billion, while non-apparel imports stood at $2.175 billion.

 

In the apparel category, Vietnam’s exports to the US jumped by 16.18 percent year-on-year to $784.544 million, whereas exports from India climbed 6.2 percent year-on-year to $291.302 million. However, the US clothing imports from Indonesia fell by 8.75 percent year-on-year to $455.812 million.

 

In the non-apparel category, Pakistan’s exports to the US rose by 11.63 percent year-on-year to $152.039 million during the month, while India’s exports grew by 10.8 percent to $274.741 million. However, the US imports from Japan and Canada dropped by sharp 17.84 percent and 17.07 percent, respectively, to $27.13 million and $61.817 million.

 

Of the total US textile and apparel imports of $9.017 billion, cotton products accounted for $4.47 billion, while man-made fibre (MMF) products were worth $4.088 billion, followed by $268.555 million of wool products and $189.536 million of products from silk and vegetable fibres.

 

Last year, the US textile and apparel imports increased by 3.76 percent year-on-year to $104.724 billion.