UK's clothing imports rise 6% to $1.7 bn in Jan 2025

In January 2025, imports of textile fabrics increased by 1.37 per cent to £441 million, up from £435 million in January 2024. Fibre imports in January 2025 held steady at £30 million, the same as in January 2024. Imports of textile fabric were noted at £383 million, and fibre at £31 million, in December 2024.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, the UK's clothing imports amounted to £4.064 billion (~$5.116 billion), a 9.30 per cent increase from £3.718 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023. Imports were also higher than the £3.772 billion recorded in the third quarter of 2024. Fabric imports during this period were valued at £1.363 billion, while textile fibre imports reached £100 million in October–December 2024. In the same quarter of 2023, fabric imports were £1.344 billion, and fibre imports were £92 million. During the third quarter of 2024, the UK had imported fabric worth £1.330 billion and fibre worth £86 million.

The UK’s clothing imports declined by 7.06 per cent to £14.612 billion (~$18.394 billion) in 2024 compared to the previous year. Imports of textile fabrics decreased by 4.35 per cent to £5.341 billion, while fibre imports slowed to £378 million in the same period.

In 2023, the UK’s clothing imports totalled £15.702 billion (~$20.33 billion), representing a sharp decrease of 25.94 per cent from £21.203 billion in 2022. Fabric imports fell to £5.547 billion from £6.357 billion the previous year, while fibre imports declined to £413 million from £562 million. For reference, in 2021, the UK imported £17.034 billion in clothing, £5.996 billion in fabric, and £458 million in fibre.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (KUL)