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China's T&A exports down 1.6% in Jan–Oct amid soft global demand

The contraction underlines continued pressure on China’s textile-apparel trade amid a sluggish global demand environment and the diversification of sourcing by international brands. Weak consumer sentiment in key markets and greater supplier competition have kept export growth muted.

Exports of textile products—including yarns, fabrics, and related articles—rose *.* per cent to $***.*** billion, up from $***.*** billion in ****. This indicates resilience in upstream categories, supported by steady industrial and technical textile orders. These categories benefit from stable long-term contracts and less sensitivity to fashion-driven volatility. In contrast, garment and accessory exports dropped *.* per cent to $***.*** billion from $***.*** billion, as overseas retailers adjusted inventories and shifted part of their sourcing to Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Turkiye. Higher labour costs and geopolitical risks have accelerated sourcing shifts away from China, particularly in labour-intensive apparel segments.