According to the latest statistical bulletin from the General Administration of Customs, in the first quarter of this year, the total export value of textiles and clothing nationwide reached US$67.08 billion, representing a year-on-year growth of 1.2%. This marks the highest export value for the first quarter in the past four years. Specifically, textile exports amounted to US$34.19 billion, up by 2.8%, while clothing exports stood at US$32.89 billion, down 0.4% year-on-year.

In CNY-denominated terms, the export value of textiles and apparel from January to March totaled 470.55 billion yuan, down 1.2% year on year. Within this, textile exports totaled 239.87 billion yuan (up 0.4%), while clothing exports totaled 230.68 billion yuan (down 2.7%).

Figure 1: China’s Textile and Apparel Exports in Q1 (2023-2026) (Unit: US$ 100 million)

In March alone, the national export value of textiles and apparel was US$16.64 billion, dropped 28.9% year-on-year. Among them, textile exports reached US$8.62 billion (down 28.4%), while apparel exports fell to US$8.01 billion (down 29.4%).

Figure 2: Monthly Statistics of China’s Textile and Apparel Exports (2025-2026)

From an external perspective, the current situation in the Middle East is complex, with rising risks to navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea shipping lanes. International shipping has experienced staged disruptions. A combination of factors, including ship diversions, tight capacity, and rising freight rates, has lengthened cargo shipment cycles, increased uncertainty around contract fulfilment, and delayed shipments for some orders.

Meanwhile, rising international oil prices have driven up costs for upstream raw materials such as chemical fibers and dyes. This has narrowed profit margins for enterprises, making them more cautious in accepting orders and shipping goods, thereby suppressing short-term exports.

Regarding the export cycle, the later timing of the Spring Festival holiday led enterprises to rush production and shipments in January and February, resulting in a clear “export rush” pattern with a phased advance in order demand. Combined with a higher base from the same period last year, the industry’s exports have seen a significant correction.

At the end of the first quarter, pressure on China’s textile and apparel exports has risen sharply, as the effects of external shocks and the earlier export pattern have converged. Looking ahead, close attention must still be paid to the trajectory of geopolitical developments and the recovery of international logistics. If these disruptions gradually ease, orders that were passively delayed earlier are expected to be released in the second quarter.

Source: CHINA TEXTILE LEADER Express