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China's Textile Exports Hold Up, But Apparel Demand Remains Soft

• By  Textile Excellence
• June 15, 2026

China's textile and apparel export data for January-April 2026 reveal a supply chain that is performing unevenly. While upstream segments continue to show resilience, finished consumer goods remain under pressure.

Key takeaways:

• Raw materials are the strongest performers. Exports of textile materials rose 26.4% year-on-year to US$1.30 billion, led by chemical fibre textile materials, whose export value jumped 29.5% to US$927.4 million. This points to healthy demand from global manufacturers for production inputs.

• Yarn exports indicate continued replenishment. Textile yarn exports grew 10.4% to US$5.26 billion, suggesting overseas mills and manufacturers are still restocking and maintaining production activity.

• Fabric exports remain under pressure. Despite accounting for the largest share of textile exports at US$22.60 billion, textile fabric exports declined 2.6%. This may indicate that downstream manufacturing demand has yet to fully recover.

• Textile products showed modest growth. Exports of textile products increased 3.2% to US$19.03 billion, reflecting stable demand for made-up and industrial textile articles.

• Garment exports continue to struggle. Exports of garments and clothing accessories fell 2.2% to US$44.23 billion, while garment exports alone declined 2.7% to US$38.88 billion. The figures suggest consumers in key markets remain cautious in their spending on apparel.

• Travel-related products weakened further. Exports of suitcases, handbags and similar containers dropped 11.3% to US$9.55 billion, pointing to softer demand for lifestyle and discretionary goods.

• Headgear was a bright spot. Export values rose 3.1% to US$1.82 billion despite a slight decline in volumes, indicating improved pricing or a shift towards higher-value products.

The bigger picture: China's export engine is currently being supported by demand at the top of the textile value chain. Fibres and yarns continue to move, but weaker garment exports suggest that consumer demand in global markets remains fragile and a shift away from China sourcing. 

China's export engine is currently being supported by demand at the top of the textile value chain. Fibres and yarns continue to move, but weaker garment exports suggest that consumer demand in global markets remains fragile and a shift away from China sourcing.