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Textile and Apparel Industries

Unveiling the Trade Dynamics of the U.S. Apparel Export Market: An Analysis of Export Competitiveness and Market Trends

Authors
  • Fahima Islam (West Virginia University)
  • Debanjan Das orcid logo (West Virginia University)

Abstract

The U.S. textile and apparel (T&A) industry remains vital to the national economy, employing 90,400 workers and generating $61 billion in apparel exports in 2022. However, challenges such as wage disparities, trade barriers,  and global competition hinder its competitiveness. This study evaluates the trade competitiveness of U.S. apparel exports using key metrics: Market Share (MS), Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA), Normalized Revealed Comparative Advantage (NRCA), and Price Analysis. Analyzing U.S. trade data (2018-2022) reveals that while overall exports lack comparative advantages, category  6117 (knitted or crocheted clothing part) demonstrates consistent market share. Price analysis highlights a negative correlation between unit prices and market share. These insights guide industry stakeholders and policymakers in strategic decision-making, emphasizing the need for targeted investments, reshoring practices, and supportive trade policies to strengthen domestic manufacturing and global competitiveness in the textile and apparel sector.

 

Keywords: U.S. apparel industry, Trade Competitiveness, MS, RCA, NRCA, Price Analysis

How to Cite:

Islam, F. & Das, D., (2025) “Unveiling the Trade Dynamics of the U.S. Apparel Export Market: An Analysis of Export Competitiveness and Market Trends”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 81(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.18918

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Published on
2025-01-24

Peer Reviewed