From January to February, slow recovery in the global economy, market demand has improved and the initiative of stay put for the Spring Festival across the country, China’s apparel industry showed a recovery growth, domestic sales and exports have achieved rapid growth and the main indicators of production, benefit and investment rebounded, but has not yet reached the pre-pandemic level. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic is still spreading around the world, the world economic situation is complex and grim, consumer demand recovery is relatively slow, raw material price rise, exchange rate fluctuations and other uncertainties, China’s apparel industry is still facing great pressure and difficulties in stable recovery and innovative development.

Production: According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, from January to February 2021, the industrial added value of enterprises above designated size in the clothing industry increased by 26.6 percent year-on-year, and the output of clothing was 3.4 billion pieces, a year-on-year increase of 38.44 percent.

 

Domestic sales: According to the data of the National Bureau of Statistics, from January to February 2021, China’s total retail sales of consumer goods reached 6,973.7 billion yuan, up 33.8 percent year-on-year. Among them, the retail sales of clothing commodities of units above designated size totaled 168.9 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 53.1 percent.

 

According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, from January to February 2021, online retail sales of physical goods amounted to 1,441.2 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 30.6 percent. Among them, the online retail sales of clothing products increased by 44.3 percent year-on-year.

 

Export: According to the data of China Customs Express, from January to February 2021, China’s export of garments and clothing accessories totaled USD 24.054 billion, with a year-on-year growth of 50 percent.

 

Investment: According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, from January to February 2021, the actual investment in China’s apparel industry increased by 24.6 percent year-on-year, which was 0.2 and 12.7 percent lower than the overall level of the textile industry and manufacturing industry, respectively.

 

Benefit: According to the data of the National Bureau of Statistics, from January to February 2021, there were 12,438 enterprises above designated size (annual main business income of 20 million yuan or above) in the apparel industry, with a cumulative operating income of 179.204 billion yuan, up 21.43 percent year-on-year; total profit was 7.833 billion yuan, up 42.81 percent year-on-year; Operating income profit margin was 4.37 percent, 0.65 percentage points higher than the same period last year.