Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The German fashion market generated a revenue of €66.6 billion in 2023
Germany is the largest fashion market in Europe
The eCommerce fashion segment in Germany reached €25.3 billion in 2023
In 2023, 55% of fashion shoppers in Germany made purchases online
The average revenue per user (ARPU) in the fashion segment was €565.80 in 2023
Women's apparel held a 53% share of the German fashion market in 2023
The footwear market in Germany generated around €11.4 billion in revenue in 2023
Sustainable fashion brands in Germany saw a 20% growth in 2022
Germany had over 1,300 fashion startups operating as of 2023
Zalando is the largest online fashion retailer in Germany with over €10 billion in sales in 2022
Fast fashion accounts for 30% of apparel sales in Germany
71% of German consumers consider sustainability in their fashion purchases
Second-hand fashion sales in Germany increased by 60% between 2020 and 2022
Brands & Competitors
- Sustainable fashion brands in Germany saw a 20% growth in 2022
- Germany had over 1,300 fashion startups operating as of 2023
- Berlin hosts over 70 fashion trade fairs annually
- Over 6,000 fashion retailers operate physical stores in Germany
- Cologne is home to the headquarters of over 300 fashion brands
- Munich hosts over 25 fashion shows annually
- Amazon is the largest fashion marketplace in Germany by sales volume
- 43% of fashion brands in Germany offer plus-size collections
- 63% of fashion retailers in Germany are SMEs
Interpretation
Germany’s fashion industry is a bold blend of sustainability, startups, and style—where eco-conscious brands are booming, small players dominate the retail scene, and cities like Berlin and Cologne are as vital to fashion as Amazon is to its sales.
Consumer Behavior
- In 2023, 55% of fashion shoppers in Germany made purchases online
- Fast fashion accounts for 30% of apparel sales in Germany
- 71% of German consumers consider sustainability in their fashion purchases
- Second-hand fashion sales in Germany increased by 60% between 2020 and 2022
- The average German consumer purchases about 60 clothing items per year
- The average German household spent €1,150 on clothing and shoes in 2022
- 24% of German consumers purchased clothes from second-hand platforms in 2023
- Fashion returns in Germany average a rate of 46%, the highest in Europe
- 88% of German fashion consumers research products online before buying
- About 9% of all clothing in Germany is made from organic cotton
- 42% of fashion consumers in Germany follow fashion influencers
- Around 6% of Germans rent clothes as an alternative to owning
- Berlin Fashion Week attracts over 120,000 visitors annually
- 78% of Germans believe fashion is an important part of their lifestyle
- 52% of German Gen Z consumers prefer streetwear brands
- German fashion recycling programs collected 1.5 million tonnes of textiles in 2022
- The share of fashion items returned via online shopping costs retailers over €5 billion annually in Germany
- Up to 65% of fashion bought online in Germany is paid via invoice or PayPal
- On average, German consumers wear purchased clothing only 4-7 times
- Berlin is considered the fashion capital of Germany by 71% of surveyed citizens
- The average fashion consumer in Germany makes 3-5 purchases per month
- 49% of Germans are willing to pay more for sustainably produced fashion
- Around 72% of fashion purchases in Germany are influenced by online reviews
- Cotton is the most used fabric in German fashion, making up 42% of materials
- 31% of Germans wore athletic or leisurewear daily in 2023
- More than 60% of fashion items sold in Germany are discounted at some point
- Fashion returns cause over 200,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually in Germany
- 58% of Germans say they regularly donate used clothing
- Over 2 million Germans subscribe to online fashion boxes or curated styling services
- 35% of German men changed fashion preferences during the pandemic
- Over 80% of German fashion buyers say fit is the most important factor
- The resale lifecycle of fashion garments in Germany averages 3.7 years
- Only 19% of consumers in Germany know where their clothes are made
- Rental fashion platforms in Germany serve over 800,000 users
- Smartphone shopping accounts for 54% of online fashion purchases in Germany
- 22% of fashion buyers in Germany use augmented reality apps to try clothes
- 59% of German fashion consumers bought apparel during sales events such as Black Friday
- Customers in Germany prefer domestic fashion brands by 43%
- Germany's average clothing basket size is 3.1 items per online transaction
Interpretation
In a paradox of passion and pragmatism, German fashion consumers click, return, thrift, and scroll their way through 60 pieces a year—balancing sustainability ideals with fast fashion impulses, online convenience, and a wardrobe that gets worn just a handful of times.
E-commerce & Digital Trends
- Online fashion sales are expected to grow by 7% annually in Germany until 2027
- 40% of German fashion businesses sell products via social media
- Digital fashion startups in Germany raised €170 million in funding in 2022
- The German fashion market includes over 1 million SKUs across eCommerce platforms
- Nearly 75% of German fashion brands have adopted digital transformation strategies
- The fashion segment represents 24.6% of total online retail in Germany
Interpretation
Germany's fashion industry is strutting confidently down the digital runway, where social media savvy, startup sparkle, and a million online choices are tailoring the future—one click, one trend, and one algorithm at a time.
Market Size & Revenue
- The German fashion market generated a revenue of €66.6 billion in 2023
- Germany is the largest fashion market in Europe
- The eCommerce fashion segment in Germany reached €25.3 billion in 2023
- The average revenue per user (ARPU) in the fashion segment was €565.80 in 2023
- Women's apparel held a 53% share of the German fashion market in 2023
- The footwear market in Germany generated around €11.4 billion in revenue in 2023
- Zalando is the largest online fashion retailer in Germany with over €10 billion in sales in 2022
- German fashion stores employed about 180,000 people in 2022
- Germany exported €34.5 billion worth of textiles and fashion in 2022
- Lingerie and underwear market in Germany was valued at €2.1 billion in 2023
- Germany's children's clothing segment reached €4.4 billion in 2023
- Germany ranks 2nd globally in fashion-related eCommerce revenue
- The men’s fashion segment generated €17.3 billion in 2023 in Germany
- Germany imported over €40 billion in garments in 2022
- The resale fashion market is projected to reach €5.2 billion by 2026 in Germany
- Fashion jobs represent approximately 2.3% of total employment in the German retail sector
- German textile and clothing industry includes 1,400 companies as of 2023
- Germany represents about 18% of Europe’s total fashion market
- The vintage fashion segment grew by 18% in Germany in 2022
- Evening and formalwear make up less than 5% of the German fashion market
- Leather goods in Germany had sales of €3.9 billion in 2022
- Parent company Inditext (Zara) had over €2 billion in annual revenue from German stores in 2022
Interpretation
In a country where style meets precision engineering, Germany’s €66.6 billion fashion market in 2023 strutted its stuff with women leading the catwalk, eCommerce racing ahead at €25.3 billion, and Zalando outpacing fast fashion like a well-tailored Porsche—confirming that when it comes to fashion, the Germans aren’t just wearing it, they’re exporting it, reselling it, and clicking ‘add to cart’ in record numbers.
Technology & Innovation
- Over 3,500 fashion-related university programs are offered in Germany
- Artificial intelligence is used by 18% of German fashion eCommerce sites
Interpretation
While Germany stitches together over 3,500 fashion-related university programs to train the next design visionaries, only 18% of its fashion eCommerce embraces AI—proving the industry may be dressing for the future but still lacing up its boots.