Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The U.S. apparel market was valued at approximately $318 billion in 2023
The U.S. fashion industry employs over 1.8 million people
Fashion accounts for 2% of the United States' GDP
Online apparel sales in the U.S. reached $179.5 billion in 2023
37% of all apparel sales in the U.S. were made online in 2023
The average annual expenditure on clothing per U.S. consumer unit was $1,945 in 2022
The women's apparel market in the U.S. was valued at $165 billion in 2023
The men’s apparel market was valued at $101 billion in 2023
The children’s apparel market size reached $45 billion in 2023 in the U.S.
Fast fashion accounts for 10% of all apparel sales in the U.S.
Over 100 billion garments are produced globally each year; the U.S. is a major importer
The resale apparel market in the U.S. is expected to reach $70 billion by 2027
In 2023, 52% of U.S. consumers bought at least one secondhand fashion item
Consumer Behavior and Preferences
- The average annual expenditure on clothing per U.S. consumer unit was $1,945 in 2022
- In 2023, 52% of U.S. consumers bought at least one secondhand fashion item
- Americans discard about 11.3 million tons of textile waste annually
- The average American throws away over 81 pounds of clothing each year
- 67% of U.S. consumers say sustainability affects purchasing decisions for apparel
- The average fashion product lifecycle has decreased by 50% since 2000
- 60% of millennials in the U.S. prioritize comfort over fashion
- 45% of Gen Z prefer brands that align with their values
- 34% of American fashion consumers are more likely to shop from brands that are inclusive
- The average return rate for online fashion purchases is 20-30%
- Rent the Runway has over 145,000 active users in the U.S.
- Around 17% of the fashion products in U.S. stores are marked down
- 47% of consumers in the U.S. say they prefer locally-made clothing
- Average monthly online fashion spending per U.S. household is $128
- Over 85% of unsold clothing in the U.S. ends up in landfills or is incinerated
- Over 30% of fashion brands in the U.S. now offer size-inclusive ranges
- Over 70% of U.S. consumers discover new fashion brands via Instagram
- 62% of American fashion shoppers are influenced by online reviews
- The average lifespan of a fast fashion item in the U.S. is only 7 wears
- 21% of Americans say they’ve rented clothing in the past year
- TikTok “fashion hauls” were viewed over 14 billion times in 2023
- Over 24% of U.S. consumers bought fashion products from Amazon in 2023
- 10% of U.S. children’s fashion is bought through subscription models
- 65% of U.S. consumers bought clothing items primarily for social media posts in 2023
- 29% of U.S. teens say fashion is their number one spending priority
- Self-expression is the top motivator for fashion choices for 72% of Gen Z consumers
- 41% of American consumers follow fashion influencers for clothing inspiration
Interpretation
In a country where the average person spends nearly $2,000 a year on clothes but only wears fast fashion items seven times before tossing them—often into the 11.3 million tons of annual textile waste—it's clear that for many Americans, sustainability is a trending topic, not a lifestyle, and self-expression comes at the cost of a crowded closet and an overheated planet.
E-commerce and Digital Trends
- 37% of all apparel sales in the U.S. were made online in 2023
- Online-only fashion retailers grew 12% in 2023
- 54% of U.S. consumers use mobile devices for fashion purchases
- Approximately 40% of apparel companies in the U.S. report AI integration in 2023
- Fashion Nova is one of the fastest-growing apparel brands online in the U.S.
- Handmade and craft fashion markets saw a 30% rise on Etsy in 2023
- 82% of top U.S. fashion retailers use social media to drive sales
- 78% of fashion companies in the U.S. plan to invest in RFID and inventory tech by 2025
Interpretation
In 2023, the American fashion industry strutted into the digital age with smartphones as the new storefronts, AI as the trend forecaster, and social media and Etsy artisans vying for a front-row seat in a runway increasingly ruled by clicks over catwalks.
Employment and Industry Workforce
- The U.S. fashion industry employs over 1.8 million people
- The average hourly wage in U.S. fashion manufacturing is $13.65
- California is the top U.S. state in apparel manufacturing employment
- The average U.S. fashion worker is female (58%) and between 25-44 years old
Interpretation
Behind every runway look and fast-fashion find are 1.8 million mostly young women—many in California—sewing style into the American economy for just $13.65 an hour.
Fashion Segments and Product Categories
- Fast fashion accounts for 10% of all apparel sales in the U.S.
- The average price of a designer handbag in the U.S. is $2,000
- 24% of clothing sold in the U.S. is made from synthetic fibers
- T-shirts are the most produced garment in the U.S., with over 1 billion sold annually
- Custom and on-demand fashion in the U.S. grew 10% in 2023
- The streetwear segment in the U.S. increased by 13% in 2023
- The workwear segment in U.S. fashion generated $15 billion in 2023
Interpretation
In a nation where a billion T-shirts fly off shelves while $2,000 handbags quietly whisper status, the American fashion industry struts a paradoxical runway—balancing fast fashion’s sprint, streetwear’s swagger, and workwear’s grit amid a growing call for custom, even as synthetics stitch much of the story.
Market Size and Economic Impact
- The U.S. apparel market was valued at approximately $318 billion in 2023
- Fashion accounts for 2% of the United States' GDP
- Online apparel sales in the U.S. reached $179.5 billion in 2023
- The women's apparel market in the U.S. was valued at $165 billion in 2023
- The men’s apparel market was valued at $101 billion in 2023
- The children’s apparel market size reached $45 billion in 2023 in the U.S.
- Over 100 billion garments are produced globally each year; the U.S. is a major importer
- The resale apparel market in the U.S. is expected to reach $70 billion by 2027
- Retail apparel stores totaled approximately 93,000 in the U.S. in 2023
- 2% of clothing sold in the U.S. is made domestically
- Nike is the largest fashion brand in the U.S. by revenue, generating over $50 billion annually
- Levi Strauss & Co. had 2023 revenues of $6.2 billion
- Fashion-related carbon emissions in the U.S. amounted to about 48 million tons annually
- Footwear sales in the U.S. reached $93 billion in 2023
- Luxury fashion sector in the U.S. earned $80 billion in 2023
- The fashion accessory market in the U.S. was worth $49 billion in 2023
- The activewear market in the U.S. was worth $85 billion in 2023
- Over 200 fashion weeks occur annually across America
- New York Fashion Week generates an estimated $600 million in economic impact
- Influencer marketing has a $5 billion annual impact on U.S. fashion sales
- 76% of U.S. fashion companies experienced supply chain disruptions in 2022
- About 70% of garments sold in the U.S. are imported from Asia
- The premium denim market in the U.S. was valued at $4 billion in 2023
- Digital fashion and NFTs in fashion generated $1 billion in revenue in 2023 in the U.S.
- Subscription box fashion sales reached $5 billion in the U.S. in 2023
- The U.S. swimwear market generated $5.8 billion in 2023
- The costume and Halloween apparel industry raked in $3.6 billion in 2022
- Around 25% of U.S. apparel waste could be reused or recycled
- The adaptive fashion market is valued at $44.5 billion in the U.S.
- Personal stylist services revenue topped $2.5 billion in 2023 in the U.S.
- The shapewear market in the U.S. reached $5.4 billion in 2023
Interpretation
In an industry where Americans spent over $300 billion dressing up in everything from Levi’s to NFTs—with women leading the charge, Asia doing the stitching, influencers moving the merch, and only 2% actually made at home—fashion proves it's not just a look, it's a booming economy, a carbon conundrum, and a digital frontier all wrapped in a size-inclusive, resale-ready, subscription-delivered, and fast-paced package.
