Global apparel brands adopting a China+1 sourcing strategy could help India recover textile export share it lost over the past 15 years, according to Moneycontrol. The shift reshapes sourcing decisions for importers weighing capacity, cost and supply diversification.
China's combined textile and apparel exports edged up to roughly $67 billion in the first quarter of 2026, according to Fibre2Fashion. Garment shipments declined year on year, while exports of yarns, fabrics and related textile products rose on stronger downstream manufacturing across Asia.
India's Ministry of Textiles reports FY2025-26 textile and handicraft exports rose 2.1% to about $33.5 billion, while the Global Trade Research Initiative counts textiles and garments at $35.8 billion, down 2.2%. GTRI argues the apparent growth reflects a weaker rupee, not stronger competitiveness.
US apparel manufacturing output dropped 17% in 2025 and textile mill output fell 4%, while imports from 14 low-cost Asian countries rose 6%, or $60 billion, according to WWD and Kearney's 2026 Reshoring Index. Industry insiders say tariffs alone will not revive domestic production.
Turkish apparel and textile manufacturing shed more than 116,000 jobs in the year to September, according to SGK data cited by Türkiye Today. The losses reflect weak global demand, rising costs and growing competition from Egypt, even as total registered employment rose 2.2% to 26.15 million.
A 2025 benchmarking study from the U.S. Fashion Industry Association found no clear evidence that tariffs are moving apparel production back to the United States. About 40% of surveyed brands sourced from the U.S., unchanged from 2024, while more than 80% plan to diversify to other countries.
World Footwear reports that global footwear trade lost momentum in the opening months of 2026. Because shoes are ordered months ahead, the weak start reflects cautious retailer buying for spring and summer and points to softer sourcing and retail demand.
Industry association Abicalçados says the trade pillar of the EU-Mercosur agreement could gradually improve the competitiveness of Brazilian footwear in Europe. Brazil exported 17.4 million pairs to the EU in 2025, up 5.2% on 2024, but tariff relief will be phased over up to 10 years.
India is preparing a US$1 billion support package for its footwear manufacturing sector after the United States imposed a 50% tariff on Indian footwear shipments. The scheme covers the full value chain, from raw materials to finished goods, and aims to lift both exports and domestic consumption.
China's official manufacturing PMI rose to 50.3 in June from 50.0, beating the 50.1 forecast, according to the National Bureau of Statistics reported by TradingView. Growth was concentrated in AI-linked high-tech exports, while retail and property demand stayed weak.
China's share of the global footwear trade is eroding as buyers diversify sourcing, according to World Footwear. At the same time, the value of footwear imports into the United States is rising, opening room for alternative supplier countries.
Foshan, which produces an estimated 35% of China's furniture, is enduring its worst crisis in decades. About 300 companies collapsed in 2025 as U.S. tariffs above 30% hit roughly $10 billion in exports and a property slump crushed domestic demand.
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