US apparel imports fall 7.4% to $49bn in January–August as China and India lose ground

The United States imported less clothing in the first eight months of 2026. US apparel imports fell 7.42% year on year to $49.08 billion in January–August, according to data from the US Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) reported by Bangladesh's The Business Standard on 7 October. Import volume, measured in square-metre equivalents, fell 8.98%, while the average unit price rose 1.71%.

The decline was concentrated among Asian suppliers facing higher US duties. Imports from China dropped 29.39% to $5.63 billion, and those from India fell 26.44%. Vietnam, still the largest supplier, was almost flat at $10.98 billion, down 0.76%. Imports from Bangladesh fell 4.43% to $5.39 billion, and Pakistan was down 3.83%. Cambodia (up 6.91%) and Indonesia (up 2.58%) were among the few to grow.

Bangladesh's Prothom Alo reported on 8 October that, on the same OTEXA data, China moved back ahead of Bangladesh by the end of August, pushing Bangladesh to third place among US apparel suppliers, about $240 million behind China.

Bangladeshi industry figures quoted by The Business Standard linked weaker US demand to higher prices for consumers. "US imports have been affected as the prices of goods have increased," said Fazlul Hoque, a former president of the knitwear exporters' association BKMEA.

What it means for Egyptian exporters

The US market is shrinking overall, but buyers are clearly reallocating orders away from China and India. That reshuffle is an opening for suppliers with competitive duty treatment and shorter transit times, a category that includes Egypt through its QIZ access. The United States was already the largest single market for Egyptian garments, at about $985 million in January–August according to the Ready-Made Garments Export Council. Egyptian exporters should use the current shift to approach US brands diversifying away from Asia, while preparing for a softer overall demand picture.