The textile export environment is improving and the growth rate of fabric exports is expected to continue

Although problems such as sluggish market demand and rising labor costs have plagued the development of my country’s textile industry, industry insiders said that from the perspective of development trends, as the positive impact of economic recovery on the consumer market gradually deepens, China’s textile industry exports will increase. The speed is expected to continue the steady upward trend.
​Export volume has increased
According to statistics from the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles, the national fabric import and export volume from January to May this year was US$24.244 billion, a year-on-year increase of 3.5%. Among them, the export value was US$21.3 billion, a year-on-year increase of 5.27%; the export quantity was 14.736 billion meters, a year-on-year increase of 3%. The average export unit price was 1.45 yuan/meter, a year-on-year increase of 2.2%. In May, the country’s fabric exports maintained steady growth. The fabric export value was US$5.241 billion, setting a new high for this year’s single-month export value, a year-on-year increase of 8.54%.
my country’s fabric exports to major markets continue to grow. From January to May 2014, exports to Asia were US$13.603 billion, a year-on-year increase of 2.69%, of which exports to Pakistan, Cambodia and Vietnam increased by 45.22%, 21.35% and 15.11% respectively. Exports to the EU increased by 16.47% year-on-year, of which exports to Spain, the United Kingdom and Germany increased by 35.9%, 33.58% and 17.94% respectively. Exports to Africa increased by 13.03% year-on-year, of which exports to Egypt, Kenya and Nigeria increased by 20.24%, 19.43% and 18.87% respectively. Exports to Latin America increased by 8.68% year-on-year, of which exports to Colombia, Nicaragua and Mexico increased by 45.43%, 29.2% and 16.08% respectively.
The reporter learned that the average fabric export price from January to May 2014 was US$1.45/meter, a year-on-year increase of 2.2%. The average fabric export price to Asia was US$1.6/meter, a year-on-year increase of 3.98%, of which Vietnam, India, South Korea and Pakistan increased by 21.16%, 15.55%, 9.09% and 8.98% year-on-year respectively. The average price of fabric exports to Africa and Latin America increased by 1.53% and 1.19% year-on-year respectively.
​Volatility in emerging markets
Industry insiders said that emerging markets for my country’s fabric exports have experienced fluctuations, while developed markets are stable and improving. ASEAN markets have experienced significant fluctuations this year. From January to April, my country’s textile and apparel exports increased by only 1.7% year-on-year, down 59.2 percentage points from the same period last year. Among them, clothing exports, which accounted for nearly 40%, fell by 11%, and the growth rate dropped sharply by 142 percentage points year-on-year, reflecting that domestic demand in emerging markets is still relatively fragile and susceptible to the impact of the macro environment. However, as the radiating effect of the recovery of developed economies gradually emerges, there is still room for improvement in the ASEAN market in the future. The leading role of developed economies in global recovery has been demonstrated in the exports of the textile industry. The EU has become the highlight of this year’s export market, with export volume and price rising. From January to April, my country’s textile and apparel exports increased by 15.1%, a year-on-year increase of 10 percentage points. Among them, the export price increased by 3.5% year-on-year, and the quantity increased by 11.2% year-on-year, an increase of 10.7 percentage points compared with the same period last year. The performance of exports to the United States was basically stable. From January to April, the export volume increased by 5.4% year-on-year, a slight decrease of 1.9 percentage points from the same period last year.
​The export environment is improving
The reporter learned from the China National Textile and Apparel Council that since the beginning of 2014, the textile industry has actively responded to the impact of rising costs and sluggish market demand. Production has grown steadily and efficiency has rebounded, but exports have fluctuated greatly. The China Textile and Apparel Industry Federation said that the development prospects of China’s textile industry this year are basically optimistic, but issues such as resources, environment, and labor costs are still prominent, which will affect the sustainable development of China’s textile industry.
Experts from the China Textile Economic Research Center believe that although the global economic recovery this year has not been as strong as expected, it is still stronger than last year, the international market performance is generally stable, and the export environment of China’s textile industry is basically good. From the perspective of development trends, as the positive impact of economic recovery on the consumer market gradually deepens, the export growth rate of China’s textile industry is expected to continue the current trend of steady recovery.