According to the General Administration of Customs, from January to April this year, China’s textile and apparel exports totaled US$ 91.13 billion, up 0.8% year on year, with the growth rate saw 0.4 percentage points lower than in the first quarter. Of this total, textile exports amounted to US$46.90 billion, up 2.3% year-on-year; apparel exports reached US$44.23 billion, down 0.9% year-on-year. In CNY-dominated terms, China’s textile and apparel exports from January to April were 636.48 billion yuan, seeing a year-on-year decrease of 2.0%. Among these, textile exports totaled CNY 327.52 billion, down 0.5% year-on-year; apparel exports totaled 308.96 billion yuan, down 3.5% year-on-year.

Figure 1 Monthly Statistics of China’s Textile and Apparel Exports from July 2025 to April 2026

In April alone, China’s textile and apparel exports to the global market reached US$24.05 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 0.5%, with the decline narrowing significantly compared with March. Of this total, textile exports were US$12.71 billion, up 1.0% year-on-year; apparel exports were US$11.35 billion, down 2.2% year-on-year. The impact of earlier front-loading of orders driven by the rush to export has diminished. Enterprises have gradually improved their adaptability to changes in international logistics, and some previously delayed orders have been shipped sequentially, providing certain support for April’s exports.

In terms of export structure, textile exports continued to grow, with intermediate products such as fabrics and yarns demonstrating strong resilience. Apparel exports continued to face downward pressure as some international brands and purchasers advanced their supply chain diversification strategies, leading to the diversion of certain finished apparel orders overseas.

In the first quarter of this year, the performance of major export markets continued to diverge. China’s combined textile and apparel exports to the four major markets of ASEAN, the United States, the European Union, and Japan totaled US$ 34.12 billion, accounting for 51% of the industry’s total export value. Among these, exports to the European Union grew 4.4% year-on-year, with phased restocking demand in the European market showing some recovery. Exports to the United States (-2.4%), Japan (-2.7%), and ASEAN (-1.3%) all declined. Under the influence of factors such as sluggish global demand recovery and high volatility in international logistics costs, the industry’s exports still face considerable pressure. Future trends will depend on the pace of overseas market restocking and changes in international orders.

Source: CHINA TEXTILE LEADER Express