In December 2023, approximately 2.77 billion meters of clothing fabric were produced in China. The average monthly production of textile was around 2.72 billion meters in the past one year.
Domestic clothing industry in China
Being a major part of the textile industry, clothing manufacturing with its labor-intensive production processes traditionally plays an important role in national employment. Over the past decades, production presence of the apparel industry has diminished in developed countries as companies have adopted a practice of outsourcing their manufacturing needs to low wage economies. Currently, clothing is one of the most globalized sectors worldwide, serving as a large source of employment in developing countries.
China’s recent growth momentum is tightly linked to massive local engagement of the international clothing industry. Due to comparably low labor costs, reduced commercial barriers and better information flows, China still presents one of the most attractive destinations for clothing manufacturing. In 2023, approximately 19.36 billion units of apparel had been produced in China.
International trade
International trade figures further emphasize China’s current position as the world’s largest textile-exporting country. In 2022, China accounted for over 43.6 percent of the world textile exports, followed by the European Union and India. Despite a stable growth of China’s clothing industry, several challenges for the sector have emerged on the horizon. Rising labor costs and increasingly strict environmental policies are among the most prominent issues for Chinese clothing companies. In order to cope with the changes, an increasing number of Chinese textile enterprises have turned their focus to upgrading their industrial infrastructure and modernizing their production processes.
FAQs
Throughout 2023, the monthly textile production in China ranged around 2.72 billion meters.
How much textile is produced in China? ›
Due to comparably low labor costs, reduced commercial barriers and better information flows, China still presents one of the most attractive destinations for clothing manufacturing. In 2023, approximately 19.36 billion units of apparel had been produced in China.
What percent of US clothing is made in China? ›
China is the largest supplier of textiles and apparel to the United States (table TX. 2) and its share of U.S. imports in this sector increased to 39.2 percent in 2020 from 33.6 percent in 2019.
Where are most textile factories in China? ›
Keqiao – textile production region in China
Located on the New Silk Road, Keqiao is China's largest gathering place for textile companies and a global textile distribution center. Every year, USD 9 billion worth of fabrics are exported from here to every corner of the world.
What is the clothing industry in China? ›
The country accounted for more than half of the global textile and clothing production, as well as more than 30 percent of worldwide apparel exports. However, in recent years, China's clothing sector has slowed down its expansion, aiming to build a more sustainable and technology-intensive industry.
What is the world largest textile producing country? ›
China is the largest textile producing and exporting country in the world.
How much textiles are produced each year? ›
Clothing and textiles currently make up at least 7% of the total amount of waste in global landfill space. Between 80 and 100 billion new clothing garments are produced globally every year.
What would happen if the US stopped trading with China? ›
The costs to the U.S. economy if we were to prohibit domestic companies (impacting companies such as GE, Honeywell, Collins, and Parker Aerospace) from engaging with COMAC would be significant: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates that losing access to China's aviation market would translate into a loss of $38 ...
Why is everything sold in the US made in China? ›
Given the abundance of Chinese products in the marketplace, it's understandable consumers might wonder why so many goods are made in China. One of the reasons companies manufacture their products in China is because of the abundance of lower-wage workers available in the country.
Does the US manufacture more than China? ›
Although the United States used to be the world's top manufacturing hub, it has been over 10 years since China claimed the top position. With low costs, a large workforce, and strong production quality, China has a comfortable 10 percent lead on the United States.
In China, according to the World Bank 17 to 20 percent of industrial water pollution comes from textile dyeing and treatment, indeed 72 toxic chemicals in China's water originate solely from textile dyeing. Of these, 30 cannot be removed.
Who does China export textiles to? ›
In 2021, the top partner countries to which China Exports Textiles and Clothing include United States, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, Rep. and Germany.
What is the largest textile city in China? ›
Keqiao is located in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, with a name called the Oriental Venice. It is famous for its waterways, bridges, wine, handwriting, shaoxing opera and celebrities. The most important for now is that it owns the biggest textile collecting and distributing center in Asia – the China Textile City.
What is the clothing capital of China? ›
Although Beijing remains the capital of the country, Shanghai has become the fashion capital of the country.
How big is China's textile industry? ›
The textile industry in China is the largest in the world in overall production, exports and retail, with an output of 58 million tons a year in the fiber categories alone, accounting for more than 50 percent of the world's total; with textile and garment exports of $316 billion, accounting for more than a third of ...
How much do clothing manufacturers make in China? ›
In 2022, China's apparel enterprises generated a profit totaling around 76.38 billion yuan, decreasing from about 76.78 billion yuan in 2021. Furthermore, the total profit generated by apparel enterprises above the designated size in China has experienced a downward trend since 2016.
How much textile export does China have? ›
As of the end of November 2021, textile and apparel exports reached $285.3 billion, a year-on-year increase of 7.7%.
What country produces the most textile waste? ›
These are the top countries in the world that produce the most fashion waste:
- China – 20 million tonnes.
- USA – 17 million tonnes.
- India – 7.8 million tonnes.
- Italy – 465,925 tonnes.
- Germany – 391,752 tonnes.
- France – 210,001 tonnes.
- UK – 206,456 tonnes.
The top two cotton producers, India and China, contribute approximately 45-50 percent of the world's production, while the top four producers comprise 70-75 percent of global cotton production. Currently, India is the world's leading producer of cotton, surpassing China recently.
How much of the world's manufacturing comes from China? ›
China makes up 28.7% of the total global output for manufacturing.
