US denim apparel imports rose 58.67% in July 2020 compared to June, reaching $309.79 million, according to OTEXA data. However, on a year-over-year basis, imports declined 24.38%, with year-to-date (YTD) figures falling 35.26% to $1.39 billion for the January–July 2020 period.
China Loses Ground as Bangladesh Takes the Lead
China recorded the steepest decline among all denim exporters to the US in 2020, dropping 63.23% year-over-year to $169.82 million in the January–July period, down from $461.88 million in the same period of 2019. As a result, China slipped from 2nd to 4th place among top denim suppliers to the US.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, emerged as the top denim apparel exporter to the US in June 2020, surpassing Mexico — and widened that gap further in July. Bangladesh’s denim shipments reached $64.13 million in July 2020, the highest among all countries, representing a 120% month-over-month increase. While YTD figures remained 16.98% below the previous year at $254.27 million, the rapid month-over-month recovery signals a strong rebound.
Vietnam Maintains Positive Momentum
Vietnam continued its upward trend in July 2020, increasing denim apparel shipments by 55.08% month-over-month to $49.16 million, compared to $31.70 million in June. On a YTD basis, Vietnam posted a marginal 0.14% year-over-year gain, reaching $192.72 million — keeping it ahead of China in total denim exports to the US.
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