Eurostat the Statistical Office of the EU and EURATEX the European Clothing and Textile Federation have presented the latest key figures (2012) for the European textile and clothing industries recently. Turnover of textiles at factory level dropped by 3.5 % from EUR 104.8 billion to EUR 101.2 billion, and clothing decreased by 4.9 % or from EUR 101.9 billion to 96.9 billion. However, machinery and equipments added 1.3 %, from EUR 113.9 billion to EUR 115.3 billion. Household consumption of textiles and clothing is estimated at EUR 482.7 billion (EUR 481.6 billion) including manmade fibres EUR 9.6 billion (10.1 billion), textiles EUR 80.6 billion (83.7 billion) and clothing EUR 75.1 billion (EUR 77.4 billion). The grand total of all three sectors amount to EUR 165.3 (EUR 171.2) billion. The volume of investments in the manmade fibres sector amounted to EUR 0.25 billion (EUR 0.3 billion), in textiles to EUR 2.8 billion (EUR 3.0 billion) and in the clothing area EUR 1.9 billion (EUR 1.9 billion). Thus the grand total of all sectors amounted to EUR 5.0 billion (EUR 5.2 billion).
Textile exports reached EUR 21.8 billion (EUR 21.2 billion) and clothing EUR 20.3 billion (EUR 18.4 billion) resulting in a total of EUR 42.1 billion (EUR 39.6 billion). The major textile customers were the USA with EUR 2280 million (EUR 2114 million), Turkey 1825 million China EUR 1719 million (EUR1634 million), Switzerland EUR 1407 million (EUR 1467 million) and Russia EUR 1292 million (1127 million), these counties had a share of 39.1 % (38.2 %).
Clothing exports (in value terms) are composed of 39 % women’s and 23 % men’s clothing and one percent work wear, whereas other garments had a share of 39 %. The major clothing customers were Switzerland with EUR 3291 (EUR 3296 million), Russia with 3017 million (EUR 2731 million), USA EUR 2233 million (EUR 1799 million), Japan EUR 1290 million (EUR 1098 million) and Hong Kong EUR 1233 million (EUR 1155 million). These countries had a share of 54.6 % (54.7 %).
Textile imports reported the following shares in value terms. 20 % woven fabrics, 18 % home textiles, 15 % yarn and threads, 7 % natural fibres, each carpets and knitted fabrics 5 %, finally 4 % manmade fibres and 25 % other textiles. The major textile suppliers were China EUR 7829 million (EUR7985 million), Turkey EUR 3780 million (EUR 4001 million), India EUR 2307 million (EUR 2761 million, Pakistan EUR 1578 million (EUR 1991 million) and the USA with EUR 120, the total share of these countries amounted to 68.3 % (67.9 %).
The imports of clothing products entailed 35 % of women’s and 25 % of men’s clothing, 2 % was work wear and 39 % other garments. The major Clothing suppliers were China with EUR 27234 million (EUR 30053 million), Bangladesh EUR 8250 million (EUR 7590 million), Turkey EUR 8212 million (EUR 8311 million), India 3985 million (EUR 4654 million) and Tunisia EUR 2109 million (EUR 2413 million) and these countries total share was 76.4 % (77.5 %). The negative trade balance for textiles is EUR -2.7 billion (EUR -5.3 billion) and for clothing EUR -44.9 billion (EUR -50.0 billion) or totally EUR -47.6 billion (EUR -55.3 billion).
