This is a crucial moment for China's textile export industry, which is in the midst of deep economic downturn. In the January-November 2009 period, the decline in accumulated textile and apparel exports was being constantly reduced and the tendency of rebound is increasingly obvious. Textile export, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do.
In the Jan.-Nov. 2009 period, China's textile and garment total exports amounted to $154.120 billion, dropping 11.02 percent y/y, slightly narrowed by 0.6 percentage points from the Jan.-Oct. 2009 period. Of which, textile exports plummeted 10.66 percent to $57.634 billion; Garment exports plummeted 11.24 percent to $96.486 billion.
Textile export experienced positive growth for first time in Nov.
In Nov. 2009, textile export value experienced positive growth for first time this year. Looking further, textile export value increased 7.17 percent y/y to $14.349 billion. The increase was due to the low level of the export in last Nov. when the crisis broke out.
Garment and accessories exports, on the other hand, decreased by 17.64 percent in Nov. 2009. The slowdown was mainly caused by the rising labor and other costs, dismal overseas demand as well as the rise of trade protectionism.
Market shares in the U.S., EU and Japan did not change
Continuity in the demand for the Chinese textile covering in the world market is keeping the hopes of exporters alive that after the recession. From Jan. to Nov. 2009, China's accumulated textile and garment export value to the United States, EU and Japan amounted to $78.818 billion, which accounted for 51.14 percent of China’s total textile and apparel export value. According to CNTAC, in Jan.-Nov. China's textile and garment exports to the United States edged up 1.53% year-on-year to $25.34 billion. Exports to Japan edged up 0.26% year-on-year to $20.1 billion.
Table 1. China textile and apparel exports to the United States, EU and Japan from Jan. to Nov. 2009
EU
Japan
the United States
export value ($ 100 million)
y/y
%
proportion %
export value ($ 100 million)
y/y
%
proportion %
export value ($ 100 million))
y/y
%
proportion %
textile & apparel
333.78
-8.13
21.66
201.00
0.26
13.04
253.40
1.53
16.44
textile
77.83
-12.55
13.50
41.59
5.77
7.22
71.24
-7.70
12.36
apparel
255.95
-6.69
26.53
159.42
-1.08
16.52
182.17
5.66
18.88
Source: China Customs
After global economic crisis, China was increasingly focusing more on developing markets for growth. Unfortunately, emerging markets may not be able to consume as much of the Chinese goods as the US or Europe did simply because consumers in those markets do not have the purchasing power. From Jan. to Oct. 2009, China's accumulated textile and garment export value to non-EU and non-U.S. countries were $95.401 billion, down 14.87% y/y. Of which, textile export value to non-EU and non-U.S. countries were $42.727 billion, down 11.03% y/y; apparel export value $52.675 billion, down 17.75%.
Cotton and chemical fiber manufactured products still the main force
Cotton and chemical fiber manufactured products are China's most important two major export sectors. According to China Customs, in the Jan.-Nov. 2009 period , the exports of China's cotton textile amounted to $16.125 billion, dropping 16.38 percent y/y; cotton garment $39.808 billion, down 13.60% y/y; chemical fiber textile $27.126 billion, down 10.53%; chemical fiber garment $34.868 billion, down 3.59%. The exports of China's cotton and chemical fiber manufactured products accounted for 76.52 percent of China’s total textile and apparel export value.
Table 2. China textile and apparel exports by materials from Jan. to Nov. 2009
Unit: $100 millionï¼…
Category
textile
apparel
Jan. - Nov.
y/y
Jan. -Nov.
y/y
cotton products
161.25
-16.38
398.08
-13.60
wool products
13.62
-25.20
50.34
-20.83
linen products
5.54
-11.10
0.00
0.00
silk products
9.77
-7.19
13.43
-23.31
chemical fiber products
271.26
-10.53
348.68
-3.59
others
114.90
0.68
154.33
-15.89
Source: CNTAC Statistics Center
Price continued to fall while competitiveness index climbed up
In Nov. 2009, export price index of China's textile and apparel were 94.74% and 99.58% respectively, down 5.26% and 0.42% compared to Nov. 2008.
Export competitiveness index for some products, on the other hand, climbed up. Looking further, export competitiveness index for knitted garments and accessories climbed up to 97.67% in Nov. 2009 from 93.66% in 2002; Export competitiveness index for woven garments and accessories climbed up to 95.74% in Nov. 2009 from 92.83% in 2002.
