Apparel imports dropped by 6.4% in September from the same month last year, to $8.3 billion. Year-over-year apparel imports have fallen in four of the past five months.
So far this year there have been sizable increases in dollar volume from Vietnam and El Salvador, but these have been more than offset by declines from Pakistan and India.
There continues to be a shift from cotton to man-made fibers, particularly in women’s apparel.
Though a much smaller number, apparel exports rose by 4.2%, to $489 million. There have been big year-to-date increases in the total value of exports to Japan, the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, Guatemala and India. Apparel exports to the Netherlands, where several large US specialty chains have distribution centers, have risen 18% so far this year, while exports to Belgium have declined 22%. Exports to Honduras picked up in September but those to the DR continued to decline.
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Footwear trade picked up in September compared to last year. Imports fell 2.6% to $2.1 billion. China continues to gain significant footwear share, and on a year-to-date basis comprises over 72% of all footwear imports. Vietnam was next with a 10% share. Exports jumped 2.7% to $76 million.
Total US imports of goods and services were $188 billion, a slight decrease from September of 2011 and below the record $200 billion level reached in May 2012. While there were increases in imports of capital goods, automotive products and consumer goods, decreases occurred in industrial supplies and materials.
Total exports increased by .5%, to $129.7 billion, led by jumps in consumer goods, automobiles and automotive products, and foods and beverages. The total deficit was $58.5 billion, a 1.6% decline from the same month last year.
| (US IMPORTS AND EXPORTS) | ||||
| In $ Millions | ||||
|
% Chg |
Sep |
Aug |
Sep |
|
|
vs LY |
2012 |
2012 |
2011 |
|
| Total US Imports |
-0.1 |
188,316 |
196,667 |
188,575 |
| Total US Exports |
0.5 |
129,732 |
130,081 |
129,053 |
| Total US Deficit |
-1.6 |
58,584 |
66,586 |
59,522 |
| Apparel Imports |
-6.4 |
8,302 |
8,755 |
8,869 |
| Apparel Exports |
4.2 |
489 |
505 |
469 |
| Apparel Deficit |
-7.0 |
7,814 |
8,250 |
8,400 |
| Textile Imports |
-3.1 |
2,028 |
2,184 |
2,093 |
| Textile Exports |
-3.9 |
1,057 |
1,094 |
1,100 |
| Textile Deficit |
-2.2 |
971 |
1,090 |
993 |
| App & Text as % of Tot Def |
15.0 |
14.0 |
15.8 |
|
| Footwear Imports |
2.6 |
2,102 |
2,334 |
2,048 |
| Footwear Exports |
2.7 |
76 |
70 |
74 |
