China’s textile and garment exports fell 2.88 per cent in January to April this year compared to the same period last year. Exports of yarns, fabric and related products were up 1.41 per cent year on year. Exports of garment and accessories were down 5.5 per cent year on year.

However, in May 2019 China’s textile and garment exports were up 1.65 per cent over the same period last year. Export of yarns, fabric and related products increased by 3.55 per cent compared with the same period of 2018. And exports of garment and accessories were down 0.11 per cent year on year.

Compared with the sharp growth and apparent slowdown in textile and apparel exports from January to April, China’s textile and garment exports stabilized in May, and the export performance was better than expected. Even in the face of the uncertainty brought about by the Sino-US trade war, the Chinese textile industry still reflects strong resilience and international competitiveness. China for instance continues to be a major supplier of innerwear like cotton and manmade fiber underwear as well as bras. This is likely attributable to the combination of the specialty manufacturing and materials needed to produce these items compared to more basic apparel.