UK's clothing imports down 11.3% to $1.42 bn in June 2024

The imports of textile fabric in June 2024 decreased by 4.84 per cent to £471 million, compared with £495 million in June 2023. However, there was a month-on-month increase from May 2024’s £444 million. Meanwhile, the UK’s fibre imports in June 2024 were £30 million, down from June 2023’s £37 million and May 2024’s £32 million.

During the second quarter of 2024, the UK’s clothing imports totalled £3.485 billion (~$4.53 billion), which was 5.75 per cent lower than the import value of £3.698 billion in the second quarter of 2023. The inbound shipments were higher than the imports of £3.278 billion in the first quarter of 2024. Fabric imports were noted at £1.382 billion, and textile fibres at £107 million in April-June 2024. The import values of fabric and textile fibres were noted at £1.439 billion and £108 million, respectively, in the corresponding period of 2023.

In 2023, the UK’s clothing imports reached £15.702 billion ($20.33 billion), down 25.94 per cent from the inbound shipments of £21.203 billion in 2022. The imports of fabric and textile fibres were noted at £5.547 billion and £413 million in 2023, down from £6.357 billion and £562 million in 2022, respectively. The imports of clothing, fabric, and textile fibres were recorded at £17.034 billion, £5.996 billion, and £458 million, respectively, in 2021.

Regarding exports, the UK's clothing sector generated £297 million in June 2024, down from £308 million in June 2023. The figure for May 2024 was £272 million. The exports of textile fabric in June 2024 eased to £243 million, compared with £252 million in June 2023. There was a month-on-month increase from May 2024’s £233 million. The UK’s fibre exports in June 2024 were £59 million, a drop from June 2023’s £61 million and rise from May 2024’s £52 million.

During the second quarter of 2024, clothing exports totalled £837 million, against the shipment of £897 million in Q2 2023 and £832 million in Q1 2024. The outbound shipments of textile fabric and fibre were noted at £712 million and £172 million in the second quarter of 2024.

In 2023, clothing exports decreased to £3.772 billion ($4.88 billion) from £3.931 billion in 2022 and £4.263 billion in 2021. Exports of textile fabrics and fibres in 2023 were £2.737 billion and £667 million, respectively. Exports of textile fabrics and fibres in 2022 were noted at £2.716 billion and £616 million, respectively.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (KUL)