-Overview of national fabric exports

From January to June 2014, the import and export volume of fabrics was US$29.439 billion, a year-on-year increase of 2.28%. Among them, the export value was US$25.851 billion, a year-on-year increase of 3.77%, and the export quantity was 17.889 billion meters, a year-on-year increase of 1.46%. The average export unit price was US$1.45/meter, a year-on-year increase of 2.27%. The import value was US$3.589 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 7.25%.
​1. Fabric exports tended to be stable in the first half of the year
Affected by holiday factors, fabric exports fluctuated greatly in the first quarter of this year, from a 16% increase in January to a 38.46% decrease in February. Growth stabilized in the second quarter, with an increase of 9.84% in April and 8.54% in May; a decrease of 5.55% in June.
​2. Fabric exports to major markets maintain growth
From January to June, fabric exports to major global markets increased across the board. Asia is China’s largest fabric export market, with an export value of US$16.412 billion, a year-on-year increase of 1.46%, accounting for 27.08% of the total export value to the world. Among them, exports to Pakistan, Cambodia and Vietnam increased by 35.67%, 18.16% and 13.13% respectively year-on-year.
Exports to Africa increased by 11.44% year-on-year. Among them, the year-on-year growth rates for Mauritania, Egypt and Kenya were 54.48%, 22.53% and 19.28% respectively.
The EU’s sales increased by 12.88% year-on-year, among which the UK, Spain and Germany increased by 29.81%, 28.96% and 11.33% respectively.
The year-on-year growth for Latin America was 6.04%, among which, the year-on-year growth for Nicaragua, Mexico and Argentina was 23.32%, 12.96% and 8.98% respectively. The year-on-year growth for the United States was 2.01%.
3. Fabric exports in various provinces and cities show a trend of differentiation
A total of 31 provinces and cities across the country export fabrics, and exports in 10 provinces and cities declined. The southeastern coast is the main area for fabric exports. Five provinces and one city account for 85.98% of the total export value of fabrics in the country. In addition to the export value of Fujian and Guangdong, which decreased by 35.08% and 10.25% respectively year-on-year, the export value of Zhejiang and Jiangsu increased by 9.8% and 8.52% respectively. The export value of some central and western provinces and regions increased significantly, with Guangxi, Ningxia and Guizhou increasing by 351% respectively. , 134% and 66.09%. Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia dropped by 55.2% and 12.74% year-on-year respectively.
​4. The concentration of fabric exports has increased
From January to June, a total of 21,855 companies exported fabrics across the country, of which 439 had an export value of more than 10 million US dollars. The total export value accounted for 41.68% of the total national fabric export value. In the same period of 2013, there were 449 companies with an export value exceeding US$10 million, and the total export value accounted for 41.57% of the country’s total fabric export value. In the same period of 2008, there were only 259 companies with an export value exceeding US$10 million, and the total export value accounted for 38.53% of the country’s total fabric export value. In the same period in 2008, the export value of the number one company was US$242 million. In the same period in 2013, the export value of the number one company reached US$356 million. In the same period this year, two companies’ export value exceeded US$300 million. The concentration of fabric exports is increasing year by year.
​5. Export growth of major fabric varieties
The export value of woolen fabrics and chemical fiber fabrics increased by 9.18% and 8.9% year-on-year respectively, while the export value of cotton fabrics decreased by 8.43% year-on-year.
​6. The average export price of fabrics increased
The average unit price of fabric exports was US$1.45/meter, a year-on-year increase of 2.27%. The average export price to the Asian market increased by 4.3%. Among them, the average export prices to Vietnam, India and Pakistan increased by 22.96%, 11.42% and 9.98% year-on-year respectively. %, for Algeria in Africa it increased by 8.75%, for Italy in the European Union it increased by 10.72%, and for Colombia and Mexico in Latin America it increased by 10.58% and 5.88% respectively.
The average export unit price of Guangdong on the southeast coast increased by 5.2% year-on-year, and Jiangxi, Chongqing and Guangxi in the central and western regions increased by 84.23%, 62.71% and 35.76% year-on-year respectively.
Cotton, woolen fabrics and chemical fiber fabrics increased by 4.62%, 4.17% and 3.56% respectively year-on-year.
7. Fabric exports can be expected to grow steadily in 2014
In the first half of this year, fabric exports showed a steady growth month by month. As the RMB returns to value, the steady growth of fabric exports is worth looking forward to.
​8. Related links
　1. Export status of products subject to Turkish safeguard measures from January to June 2014
From January to June 2014, China’s textile and apparel exports to Turkey were US$1.176 billion, a year-on-year increase of 9.28%, accounting for 0.89% of China’s total global textile and apparel exports, ranking 30th in China’s single export market. Among them, the export value of products under safeguard measures was US$511 million, a year-on-year increase of 16.49%, accounting for 43.45% of China’s total textile and apparel exports to Turkey.
Among the products under safeguard measures, fabric exports were US$271 million, a year-on-year increase of 12.54%, accounting for 53.16% of China’s total exports of products under safeguard measures to Turkey. The value of clothing exports was US$136 million, a year-on-year increase of 31.34%, accounting for 26.57% of China’s total exports of products subject to safeguard measures against Turkey.
2. Export status of products subject to Indonesian safeguard measures
From January to June 2014, the export value to Indonesia was US$2.444 billion, a year-on-year increase of 10.38%, ranking 14th in China’s single textile and apparel export market, accounting for 1.84% of total global exports.
From January to June, China’s exports of restricted products to Indonesia amounted to US$22.8 million, a year-on-year decrease of 30.41%, accounting for 0.93% of the total textile and apparel exports to Indonesia.