US International Trade Commission (USITC) provides a quantitative assessment on the impact of trade on manufacturing jobs in the US textile and apparel industry in its newly released Economic Impact of Trade Agreement Implemented under Trade Authorities Procedures, 2016 Report. According to the report, manufacturing jobs in the US textile and apparel industry have been declining steadily over the past two decades. Rising import is found as not a major factor leading to the decline in employment in the US textile industry. As estimated, imports only contributed 0.4 per cent of the total 7.6 per cent annual employment decline in the US textile industry. Instead, more job losses in the sector are found caused by improved productivity as a result of capitalisation and automation. Rising imports is the top factor leading to job losses in apparel manufacturing.

However, USITC did not estimate the impact of trade on employment changes in the retail aspect of the industry. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 80 percent of jobs in the US textile and apparel industry came from retailers in 2015.