Dec 2011 Census Data Shows 3.2% Annual Decline in Textile/Apparel Imports, Etc.

The Office of Textiles and Apparel has issued monthly reports containing official December 2011 trade data from the Census Bureau for U.S. imports and exports of cotton, wool, man-made fiber (MMF), silk blends, and non-cotton vegetable fiber textile and apparel products.

General Import Report. This report shows total textile and apparel imports from the world and from major supplier countries & regions in million square meter equivalents (MSME), and also provides break-outs for apparel, yarn, fabrics, and made-up and miscellaneous items.

Both textiles and apparel down 3% in 2011. For the 12 months of 2011 (the year ending December 2011), imports of textiles and apparel were 53,691.4 MSME, a decrease of 3.2% from 2010. Imports of textiles were 29,827.2 MSME for 2011, a decline of 2.8% from 2010. Apparel imports for 2011 were 23,864.2 MSME, down 3.6% from 2010.

Both down 8% for month of December. For the month of December 2011, textile and apparel imports were 3,784.6 MSME in December 2011, a decline of 8.3% compared to December 2010. Imports of textiles were 2,208.4 MSME in December 2011, down 4.2% from December 2010. Imports of apparel were 1,576.2 MSME in December 2011, down 13.5% from December 2010.

Major Shippers Report. This report provides general import statistics by date of import into the U.S. for “major shipper” countries in terms of quantity or value for the 12-month period of January 1, 2011 -- December 31, 2011, as compared to the prior 12 month period. Quantity is in category units. Value is in dollars. The top ten “major shippers” for textile and apparel imports for the 12 months ending December 2011 in terms of quantity are noted below, as well as certain trade blocks:

Total Quantity (TQ) Data. These reports show imports from each supplier country and the world by tariff number. Quantity is in category units. Value is in dollars.

Trade Preference Level Report. This report shows country-by-country imports of Tariff Preference Level (TPL) textiles and apparel under the AGOA, ATPDEA or CBTPA by HTS Chapter 98 tariff numbers. Quantity is in category units and square meters equivalent (SME). Value is in dollars. Country-by-country fill rates are also provided.

U.S. Imports under FTAs. This report is organized by regions/countries with which the U.S. has free trade agreements (e.g. DR-CAFTA, Canada, Mexico, Israel, Singapore, etc.) and lists import value for each relevant HTS Chapter 98 and 99 tariff numbers, etc. (Only value, in dollars.)

Trade Balance Report. This report shows imports, exports, and the trade balance for textile and apparel trade with the world and with selected countries/regions/FTAs. Its statistics are organized into: yarn, fabric, made-up, apparel, and total. (Only value, in dollars.)

Footwear, Leather and Fur Products, Travel Goods. These reports provide import and export data by product group for footwear, leather and fur products, and travel goods.

Other Reports. OTEXA’s Web site also contains other reports, including the U.S. Possessions Report, Interactive Export Data (by Schedule B number or product group), and the Export Market Report (by textile group, country, exports to the Middle East, etc.).

December 2011 reports (except the Import Report) are available here.

Click here for preliminary January 2012 import data for China, certain other countries, the world, certain categories, etc.

December 2011 OTEXA General Import Report data available via email by sending a request to documents@brokerpower.com