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New Zealand's apparel imports inch up in Jan-Oct, fabric demand surges

Cumulative imports of knitted and crocheted apparel under HS code ** reached about NZ$***.* million (~$***.** million) in January–October ****, up *.* per cent from the same period of ****. Woven apparel under HS code ** rose * per cent to roughly NZ$***.* million (~$***.** million). The moderate uplift across both chapters reflects resilient demand for everyday clothing, athleisure and value fashion, coupled with tighter inventory planning by retailers adjusting to cost pressures, discount cycles and evolving consumer expectations.

October ****, however, showed a softer picture. Monthly imports of HS ** and ** together declined *.* per cent to around NZ$***.* million (~$**.** million), down from NZ$***.* million a year earlier. Knitted apparel imports under HS ** fell *.* per cent to about NZ$**.* million (~$**.** million), while woven apparel under HS ** slipped *.* per cent to nearly NZ$**.* million (~$**.** million). The pullback signals cautious forward ordering, as retailers focus on clearing existing stock and timing deliveries ahead of summer promotions and end-of-year discount cycles.