Clothing Manufacturing Statistics

Women made up 61.2% of U.S. cut and sew apparel manufacturing employees in 2022 [1]

Hispanic workers made up 57.7% of U.S. cut and sew apparel manufacturing employees in 2022 [1]

Asian workers made up 18.1% of U.S. cut and sew apparel manufacturing employees in 2022 [1]

17.3% of U.S. cut and sew apparel manufacturing workers were 55 or older in 2022 [1]

26.3% of U.S. cut and sew apparel manufacturing workers were foreign-born noncitizens in 2022 [1]

68% of garment workers surveyed in Bangladesh reported signs of depression during the COVID-19 pandemic [2]

73% of surveyed Bangladeshi garment workers reported anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic [2]

55% of surveyed Bangladeshi garment workers reported stress symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic [2]

2,900 garment workers died in the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013 according to one reported figure cited in the literature review [2]

The median pay for sewing machine operators in the United States was $35,030 per year in May 2023 [3]

Employment of sewing machine operators is projected to decline 15% from 2023 to 2033 [3]

There were 86,600 sewing machine operator jobs in the United States in 2023 [3]

The median annual wage for textile, apparel, and furnishings workers was $35,050 in May 2024 [4]

Employment of textile, apparel, and furnishings workers is projected to decline 8% from 2023 to 2033 [4]

There were 137,500 textile, apparel, and furnishings worker jobs in the United States in 2023 [4]

Apparel knitting mills in the United States employed 14,600 people in 2023 [5]

The average weekly wage in U.S. apparel knitting mills was $1,009 in 2023 [5]

Cut and sew apparel manufacturing in the United States employed 73,700 people in 2023 [6]

The average weekly wage in U.S. cut and sew apparel manufacturing was $833 in 2023 [6]

Apparel accessories and other apparel manufacturing in the United States employed 21,600 people in 2023 [7]

The average weekly wage in U.S. apparel accessories and other apparel manufacturing was $944 in 2023 [7]

80% of garment workers worldwide are women [8]

75 million people are employed in the global textile, clothing and footwear industry [8]

Most garment workers are paid less than a living wage in all surveyed countries [8]

99% of apparel and footwear companies do not publicly disclose the number of workers in their supply chains earning a living wage [9]

96% of major fashion brands do not disclose how many workers in their supply chain are paid piece-rate wages [9]

3% of major brands disclose the number of workers in their supply chain who received unemployment protection after layoffs [9]

1% of major brands disclose the number of workers in their supply chain who are covered by collective bargaining agreements [9]

6% of major brands disclose the number of suppliers paying a living wage to workers in their final stage facilities [9]

34% of major brands disclose their annual supplier assessment outcomes [9]

38% of major brands disclose the number of workers in their supply chains [9]

2022 U.S. shipments of cut and sew apparel manufacturing were $9.67 billion [1]

2022 U.S. employment in cut and sew apparel manufacturing was 91,300 [1]

Los Angeles County accounted for 45.7% of U.S. cut and sew apparel manufacturing employment in 2022 [1]

New York County, New York, had 4,664 cut and sew apparel manufacturing employees in 2022 [1]

There were 5,148 U.S. employer firms in cut and sew apparel manufacturing in 2021 [1]

Clothing production approximately doubled between 2000 and 2015 [10]

Global fiber production reached an all-time high of 116 million tonnes in 2022 [11]

Polyester accounted for 54% of global fiber production in 2022 [11]

Global recycled polyester fiber production reached 8.9 million tonnes in 2022 [11]

Preferred fibers accounted for 23 million tonnes, or 19% of global fiber production, in 2022 [11]

Virgin fossil-based synthetic fiber production increased from 67 million tonnes in 2021 to 75 million tonnes in 2022 [11]

Total virgin fiber production increased from 110 million tonnes in 2021 to 116 million tonnes in 2022 [11]

Global cotton production was 24.4 million tonnes in 2022/23 [11]

Global manmade cellulosic fiber production was 7.2 million tonnes in 2022 [11]

Global wool production was 1.0 million tonnes in 2022 [11]

Global down production was 0.6 million tonnes in 2022 [11]

Global cashmere production was 25,000 tonnes in 2022 [11]

Global mohair production was 4,700 tonnes in 2022 [11]

Global alpaca production was 6,500 tonnes in 2022 [11]

Global MMCF production is projected to rise to 11 million tonnes by 2030 [11]

Apparel knitting mills in the United States had 172 establishments in 2023 [5]

Cut and sew apparel manufacturing in the United States had 4,367 establishments in 2023 [6]

Apparel accessories and other apparel manufacturing in the United States had 1,744 establishments in 2023 [7]

The global apparel market volume was expected to amount to 192.3 billion pieces by 2028 [12]

85% of major brands scored 0% on annual production volumes in the Fashion Transparency Index 2023 [9]

11% of major brands disclose the annual volume of textiles they produce [9]

13.1 million tonnes of textile waste are generated globally each year [13]

The equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned every second [10]

Less than 1% of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing [10]

The textiles system causes more than $500 billion of value loss every year due to underutilized clothing and lack of recycling [10]

The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions [13]

Textile dyeing is the second-largest polluter of water globally [13]

Textile production contributes 20% of global clean water pollution from dyeing and finishing [13]

85% of all textiles go to the dump each year [13]

Washing clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean each year [13]

The equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles enters the ocean every year from washing synthetic textiles [13]

The industry used 98 million tonnes of non-renewable resources per year in 2015 [10]

The textiles system generated 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually in 2015 [10]

93 billion cubic metres of water were used annually by the textiles system in 2015 [10]

If the industry continues on its current path, by 2050 it could use more than 26% of the carbon budget associated with a 2°C pathway [10]

In the European Union, textile consumption had on average the fourth highest impacts on the environment and climate change from a consumption perspective in 2020 [14]

In the European Union, textile consumption had on average the third highest impact on water and land use in 2020 [14]

In the European Union, textile consumption had on average the fifth highest use of raw materials and greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 [14]

The EU generated about 6.94 million tonnes of textile waste in 2020 [14]

The EU generated 16 kilograms of textile waste per person in 2020 [14]

About 4.4 kilograms of textiles per person were separately collected for reuse and recycling in the EU in 2020 [14]

Around 85% of all textile waste from households was not separately collected in the EU in 2020 [14]

Recycled textiles as feedstock represented only 0.3% of the global market in 2022 [11]

99% of recycled polyester in 2022 came from plastic bottles, not textile waste [11]

Recycled cotton represented 2% of the global cotton market in 2022 [11]

39% of fashion executives cited climate change as a top concern for 2024 [15]

26% of fashion executives cited sustainability regulations as a top concern for 2024 [15]

The apparel and footwear industry is responsible for 8.1% of global climate impacts [16]

Tier 2 processing contributes 38% of the apparel and footwear industry’s climate impacts [16]

Raw material production contributes 35% of the apparel and footwear industry’s climate impacts [16]

The apparel and footwear industry contributes 7.4% of acidification impacts globally [16]

The apparel and footwear industry contributes 3.9% of eutrophication impacts globally [16]

The apparel and footwear industry contributes 12.5% of ecotoxicity impacts globally [16]

The apparel and footwear industry contributes 1.7% of water scarcity impacts globally [16]

The apparel and footwear industry contributes 0.5% of freshwater consumption impacts globally [16]

The apparel and footwear industry contributes 8.6% of fossil resource depletion impacts globally [16]

The apparel and footwear industry contributes 4.2% of mineral resource use impacts globally [16]

The apparel and footwear industry contributes 17% of chemical use impacts globally [16]

Tier 2 processing contributes 51% of freshwater consumption impacts in the apparel and footwear industry [16]

Raw material production contributes 30% of freshwater consumption impacts in the apparel and footwear industry [16]

Tier 2 processing contributes 66% of water scarcity impacts in the apparel and footwear industry [16]

Raw material production contributes 23% of water scarcity impacts in the apparel and footwear industry [16]

12% of major brands disclose the amount of microfibres generated during washing of their products [9]

10% of major brands disclose progress toward a zero discharge of hazardous chemicals goal [9]

23% of major brands publish a time-bound and measurable decarbonisation target [9]

48% of major brands disclose a decarbonisation strategy [9]

27% of major brands disclose a biodiversity policy [9]

15% of major brands disclose a policy to phase out fossil fuel-based virgin polyester [9]

80% of fashion leaders expect generative AI to impact the fashion industry [15]

73% of fashion executives said generative AI will be a priority in 2024 [15]

In 2021, the world exported $557 billion in apparel [17]

In 2021, the world imported $617 billion in apparel [17]

In 2022, world exports of textiles were $342 billion [17]

In 2022, world exports of clothing were $575 billion [17]

China’s share of world clothing exports was 31.6% in 2022 [17]

The European Union’s share of world clothing exports was 26.1% in 2022 [17]

Bangladesh’s share of world clothing exports was 7.9% in 2022 [17]

Vietnam’s share of world clothing exports was 6.1% in 2022 [17]

Turkey’s share of world clothing exports was 3.5% in 2022 [17]

India’s share of world clothing exports was 3.1% in 2022 [17]

Cambodia’s share of world clothing exports was 1.3% in 2022 [17]

Pakistan’s share of world clothing exports was 1.2% in 2022 [17]

The average consumer bought 60% more clothing in 2014 than in 2000 [13]

The average garment was kept for half as long in 2014 as in 2000 [13]

Global clothing utilization fell by 36% compared with 15 years earlier [10]

EU citizens bought 19 kilograms of clothing, footwear and household textiles per person in 2022 [14]

In 2023, U.S. general imports of apparel totaled $79.3 billion [18]

In 2023, China supplied 21% of U.S. apparel imports by value [18]

In 2023, Vietnam supplied 19% of U.S. apparel imports by value [18]

In 2023, Bangladesh supplied 9% of U.S. apparel imports by value [18]

In 2023, India supplied 6% of U.S. apparel imports by value [18]

In 2023, Indonesia supplied 5% of U.S. apparel imports by value [18]

In 2023, Cambodia supplied 4% of U.S. apparel imports by value [18]

In 2023, Pakistan supplied 4% of U.S. apparel imports by value [18]

In 2023, Honduras supplied 4% of U.S. apparel imports by value [18]

In 2023, Mexico supplied 3% of U.S. apparel imports by value [18]

In 2023, Italy supplied 3% of U.S. apparel imports by value [18]

In 2023, Sri Lanka supplied 2% of U.S. apparel imports by value [18]

In 2023, El Salvador supplied 2% of U.S. apparel imports by value [18]

In 2023, Jordan supplied 2% of U.S. apparel imports by value [18]

In 2023, Nicaragua supplied 2% of U.S. apparel imports by value [18]

In 2023, Haiti supplied 2% of U.S. apparel imports by value [18]

Global apparel market revenue was projected to reach $1.79 trillion in 2024 [12]

The global apparel market was expected to grow at 2.81% annually from 2024 to 2028 [12]

Average volume per person in the global apparel market was expected to be 22.4 pieces in 2024 [12]

Average volume per person in the global apparel market was expected to be 24.1 pieces by 2028 [12]

Average revenue per person in the global apparel market was expected to be $228.20 in 2024 [12]

In 2023, the global secondhand apparel market was worth $197 billion [19]

The global secondhand apparel market is expected to reach $350 billion by 2028 [19]

The global secondhand apparel market is projected to grow 127% by 2028 compared with 2023 [19]

The U.S. secondhand apparel market was worth $43 billion in 2023 [19]

The U.S. secondhand apparel market is expected to reach $73 billion by 2028 [19]

The U.S. online resale segment grew 23% in 2023 [19]

Online resale is expected to nearly double by 2028 [19]

Resale represented 9% of the overall U.S. apparel market in 2023 [19]

Resale is expected to represent 14% of the overall U.S. apparel market by 2028 [19]

69% of retailers said consumers are trading down to more affordable options [19]

59% of consumers said if apparel prices and inflation stay high they will seek lower-cost options like secondhand [19]

34% of consumers planned to spend more on sustainable apparel in the next 12 months [19]

61% of retail executives said resale can help attract new customers [19]

47% of consumers said they are more likely to shop with a brand that offers trade-in credit for used apparel [19]

25% of fashion executives said they expected business conditions to improve in 2024 [15]

Nearly 70% of fashion executives said they expected conditions to worsen in 2024 [15]

71% of fashion executives cited lack of consumer confidence as a top concern for 2024 [15]

58% of fashion executives cited the domestic political climate as a top concern for 2024 [15]

55% of fashion executives cited inflation as a top concern for 2024 [15]

33% of fashion executives cited geopolitical instability as a top concern for 2024 [15]

56% of consumers are worried about the cost of living and inflation [15]

40% of consumers worldwide plan to increase spending on fashion in 2024 [15]