Top 10 textiles importers exceed $4 billion mark
Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 6/17/2002
NEW YORK — While U.S. economic growth came to a standstill in 2001, dollars generated from home textiles imports continued to grow, albeit at a slower pace, as the top 10 sources of home textiles imports combined to exceed the $4 billion mark in sales volume.
While China continued to dominate the import landscape, representing some 31 percent of the world total, or $1.29 billion, Pakistan and India narrowed the gap, both reaching 11 percent of the total, with $457 million and $454 million, respectively.
Mexico also was responsible for a solid portion of home textiles imports, with some 10 percent of the world total, or $416 million.
Portugal and Canada were the only top 10 export countries to see a decrease in sales volume. Portugal, which represented 5 percent of the 2001 total with $214 million, was down from $220 million in 2000. Canada comprised only 2 percent of the total with $114 million in sales, just shy of the $118 million produced in 2000.
Bed linens continue to represent by far the biggest category of imports, with some $1.54 billion in sales, or 37 percent. However, the category showed minimal growth over 2000, when it recorded $1.53 billion.
Towels and hard window products followed at 16.1 and 10.2 percent, respectively, or $657 million and $416 million.
Kitchen/bath linens, plastic curtains and drapes, and other home textiles also saw reduced sales volume in 2001 vs. 2000.
| Country | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 |
| China | $780,414 | $893,491 | $1,067,315 | $1,260,757 | $1,287,971 |
| Pakistan | 181,211 | 253,708 | 309,205 | 363,187 | 457,208 |
| India | 210,695 | 252,880 | 309,119 | 384,299 | 454,009 |
| Mexico | 178,190 | 229,813 | 293,766 | 403,129 | 416,599 |
| Portugal | 170,776 | 196,816 | 224,145 | 220,785 | 214,446 |
| Turkey | 42,292 | 62,784 | 109,300 | 144,425 | 195,444 |
| Taiwan | 164,797 | 177,285 | 184,219 | 161,700 | 176,149 |
| Canada | 81,565 | 135,969 | 121,780 | 118,046 | 114,300 |
| Brazil | 37,837 | 44,657 | 50,108 | 80,745 | 97,559 |
| Thailand | 27,681 | 36,955 | 43,046 | 66,385 | 81,118 |
| World total | $2,361,069 | $2,905,435 | $3,366,431 | $3,975,779 | $4,078,726 |
| Source: U.S. Customs Service. U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. International Trade Commission and Home Textiles Today market research. | |||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | |
| Bed linens | $775,887 | $995,587 | $1,242,541 | $1,538,096 | $1,545,979 |
| Towels | 404,644 | 473,276 | 522,498 | 614,182 | 657,530 |
| Hard window | 308,138 | 354,530 | 396,035 | 394,490 | 416,723 |
| Curtains/drapes/valances/blinds | 155,169 | 192,893 | 267,416 | 361,331 | 396,923 |
| Other home textiles | 289,419 | 334,603 | 299,520 | 331,651 | 322,483 |
| Table linens | 203,471 | 230,884 | 268,162 | 289,794 | 296,946 |
| Pillows/pillow covers | 95,829 | 169,385 | 182,025 | 212,655 | 229,729 |
| Kitchen/bath linens, other | 71,308 | 95,273 | 109,446 | 142,786 | 134,640 |
| Curtains & drapes, of plastic | 51,651 | 53,849 | 74,195 | 85,631 | 72,566 |
| Wall hangings | 5,553 | 5,155 | 4,593 | 5,163 | 5,207 |
| World total | $2,361,069 | $2,905,435 | $3,366,431 | $3,975,779 | $4,078,726 |
| Note: Bed linens include bedspreads, blankets, pillow/bolster cases, quilts/comforters/quilt/comforter shells, sheets and other non specified bed linens; hard window coverings include both blinds and shutters of wood or plastic. Source: U.S. Customs Service. U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. International Trade Commission and Home Textiles Today market research. |
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