According to National Bureau of Statistics of China, from Jan. to Sep. 2012, the total industrial output, main business income and total profit of above-designated sized apparel enterprises in China saw an increase of 11.91%, 10.25% and 6.68% respectively. While, for the whole apparel industry, the profit margin reached 5.09%, which witnessed a continuously decrease for three quarters in the year of 2012, and was lower than that of the overall China’s apparel and textile industry significantly.

 

As referring to China’s apparel export, generally speaking, reviewing the economic situation both in overseas and domestic markets, in the first nine months of 2012, the value of China’s apparel export increased slightly, while the volume represented a decrease.

  

According to the statistics released by China Customs, from Jan. to Sep. 2012, the export value of Chinese apparel and accessories totalized 116.787 billion USD, up by 1.35% comparing with the same period of time in 2011. Meanwhile, the export volume reached 21.578 billion pieces, down by 2.91% year-on-year.

 

The export value in EU, USA and Japanese markets arrived at 72.401 billion USD, accounting for 61.99% of the total, and down by 4.69% year-on-year.   

 

In terms of different markets, in the first three quarters of 2012, the export volume in EU, Japan and Hong Kong saw a decrease. Of them, comparing with the same time in 2011, EU descended by 14.16%, Japan and Hong Kong down by 5.91% and 9.22% respectively. And the export volume to USA ascended by 4.01%. The export volume in those traditional main overseas markets accumulated 12.169 billion pieces, which took a proportion of 56.4% of the total and down by 6.77% year-on-year. 

 

EU

In the first nine months of 2012, the export to EU decreased sharply. According to the statistics in September, the unemployment rate in euro area and the EU-27 countries was 11.7% and 10.6% respectively. Of them, the rate in Spain and Greece reached 25.8% and 25.1% respectively. Correspondingly, the textile and apparel retail sales in euro area -17 countries and EU-27 countries saw a negative growth year-on-year, representing a weak consumption confidence and climate index downturn.

 

	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	Apr.	May	Jun.	Jul.
Apparel and accessories in euro area-17 countries	-0.1	-6.2	-2.9	-12.1	-1.9	-3.1	-3
Apparel and accessories in Eu-27 countries	-0.6	-0.7	-3.5	-9.9	-1.4	-1.1	-1.7

Unit: %

       (Source: EU Customs)

 

As the statistics indicated that, from Jan. to Jul. 2012, the apparel import of EU from non-EU areas descended by 11.75%. It is estimated that, if there is no obviously economic recovery in the EU areas, China’s apparel export to EU would still keep the negative growth.   

 

U.S.

As for the American market, in the first nine months of 2012, the total apparel export value increased by 2.75% comparing with the same time in 2011, and the export volume rose by 4.01% year-on-year. Whereas, the exported price decreased by 3%.

 

Since Jan. 2010, the retail markets in U.S. rebounded markedly. Especially after March, 2010, the retail sales witnessed an increase for continuously 30 months with an average monthly growth margin of 5.25%.  

 

Last September, each index, just like the consumer confidence index, personal consumption expenditures, the orders of durable goods, etc., presented an obviously ascending, indicating a trend of economic recovery in American markets.

 

After experiencing the growth of apparel import from 2009 to 2011, in the first eight months of 2012, the volume and value that USA imported from overseas markets decreased by 3.15% and 1.34% respectively.

 

From Jan. to Aug., 2012, the proportion taken by “Made in China” apparels in American markets increased by 1.3% year-on-year. And it is estimated that, till the end of 2012, the export of Chinese apparel and accessories to U.S. would saw an uptrend; moreover, for American market, the import from overseas markets would decline slightly.  

 

Japan

Since the year of 2010, the year-on-year commercial retail sales in Japan represented a continuously negative growth. And in the first nine months of 2012, the growth rate in seven months is negative, with a weak climate index.  

 

According to China Customs, from Jan. to Sep. 2012, the export value to Japanese markets increased by 2% comparing with the same time in 2011, while the export volume down by 5.91% year-on-year.

 

Furthermore, due to the kept-soaring production cost in China, as well as the preferential trade relationship between Japan and ASEAN, South Asian countries, the proportion taken by Chinese apparel and accessories in Japanese markets saw a decline, and ASEAN gradually take a larger part among the total.

 

As the statistics indicated that the proportion taken by ASEAN rose from 7.9% in 2009 to 13.1% till now. Besides, most large-scaled apparel enterprises in Japan have made the schedules to reduce the orders in China by 10% in the coming two years. 

 

Unit: %

	In Total	EU	China	ASIA NIEs	ASEAN
2009	-10.77	-30.05	-10.63	-12.58	1.91
2010	-1.27	-10.65	-2.12	-2.47	9.81
2011	11.56	11.29	8.37	-4.21	40.55
1-9, 2012	1.96	4.84	-1.96	-4.04	23.74

 (Source: Japan Customs)

 

In the year of 2011, the total garment import in Japanese markets presented an obviously increase. Whereas, because of the continuously downturn of domestic Japanese retail markets in 2012, the total garment import in Japan could rose slightly, and the proportion taken by Chinese apparel and accessories would preserve around 76% to 77%, while with a slowing down import growth margin.     

 

According to the latest statistics research, IMF downward adjusted the future economic growth rate in Japan. Moreover, along with the transferring international apparel orders, the China’s apparel export in Japanese markets would continue to decline in 2013.  

 

Hong Kong and other newly-emerged markets

Despite the tradition three main export destinations, for China’s apparel and accessories, the export in Hong Kong, Brazil, Mexico, Russia witnessed an obviously rise, and the proportion taken by those four markets arrived at 10%. Till Sep. 2012, the Cumulative Growth Rate in these four areas reached 11.73%.

 

Meanwhile, the export in Africa, ASEAN, and Arab League countries saw a fast growth, till last September, the growth rate of which reached 36.32%, 56.39% and 21.91% Y-o-Y respectively. And it is estimated that till the end of 2012 the rate could reach a higher level.

 

 

All in all, it is forecasted that, in the year of 2012, the apparel and accessories export value in China could reach a growth rate around 3% year-on-year, and the export may see a negative growth in 2013. It is the key period for Chinese apparel industry to strengthen structural adjustment and transformation significantly.