China's share exceeds 50% in South Africa's apparel imports

President Ramaphosa was in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and a state visit.

In H1 2024, South Africa imported apparel worth $421.359 million. During the same period in the previous year, the country imported apparel valued at $408.075 million from China, making up 49.46 per cent of the total imports of $825.045 million. In 2023, South Africa’s total apparel imports amounted to $1,624.457 million, with $769.545 million coming from China, which was 47.37 per cent of the total, according to Fibre2Fashion's market insight tool TexPro.

Trade data indicates that China has maintained its position as the top supplier for several years, holding a market share of approximately 50 per cent. In 2019, South Africa’s apparel imports from China were valued at $871.984 million, representing 52.59 per cent of the total apparel imports of $1,658.037 million.

Imports declined to $1,344.572 million in 2020, with China’s share being 55.34 per cent. This share decreased to 51.91 per cent of the total imports of $1,675.470 million in 2021 and further to 49.49 per cent in 2022, when imports from China were $908.471 million out of a total of $1,835.745 million.

According to TexPro, South Africa’s imports of home textiles totalled $115.538 million in the first six months of the current year. China was the leading supplier, with a share of 34.68 per cent, amounting to $40.071 million. In H1 2023, South Africa imported home textiles worth $107.420 million, with $39.624 million (36.89 per cent) coming from China. In 2023, total home textile imports were $218.272 million, with China’s share at 34.70 per cent, valued at $75.742 million.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (KUL)