Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The global neckwear market size was valued at approximately USD 3.6 billion in 2021
The neckwear market is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.5% from 2022 to 2028
In the United Kingdom, sales of neckties fell by 6.6% between 2018 and 2019 alone
Shengzhou, China, is known as the "Tie City" and produces approximately 300 million ties annually
Shengzhou produces roughly 90% of China's ties and 60% of the world's ties
A standard high-quality silk tie requires approximately 110 silkworm cocoons to produce
Only about 6% of men say they wear a tie to work every day
67% of men report that they never wear a tie to work
Over 50% of ties purchased in the US are bought by women as gifts for men
Goldman Sachs announced in 2019 that ties were no longer mandatory, signaling a major workplace shift
In the UK House of Commons, male MPs were officially allowed to speak without a tie starting in 2017
The "Bolo Tie" was declared the official state neckwear of Arizona in 1971
The modern necktie originated from the Croatian mercenaries' cravats in the 17th century (circa 1630s)
Mathematicians Thomas Fink and Yong Mao calculated there are exactly 85 ways to tie a standard tie
A study published in the journal 'Stroke' found that tight neckties can increase intraocular pressure
Consumer Habits
- Only about 6% of men say they wear a tie to work every day
- 67% of men report that they never wear a tie to work
- Over 50% of ties purchased in the US are bought by women as gifts for men
- The average American male owns roughly 12 ties, though he wears fewer than 3 regularly
- 72% of men admit they do not know how to tie a bow tie
- Weddings account for approximately 35% of all neckwear purchases by men under 30
- Millennials are twice as likely to buy a skinny tie (under 2.5 inches) compared to Baby Boomers
- 85% of men rely on the "Four-in-Hand" knot as their primary or only knot
- Blue is the most purchased color for neckties globally, representing nearly 30% of sales
- Red ties are the second most popular consumer choice, often associated with "power dressing"
- Consumers are 40% more likely to buy a tie if it is stain-resistant
- 28% of consumers check the "tipping" (back lining) of a tie as an indicator of quality before purchase
- Novelty ties (cartoons, holidays) account for roughly 10% of the market volume but are worn the least
- Among Gen Z men, 45% view ties as a "special occasion only" accessory rather than daily wear
- Subscription box services for men's accessories have seen a 15% increase in tie distribution since 2018
- 60% of consumers prefer silk ties over polyester despite the higher maintenance requirements
- Men in the finance sector spend 2x more on ties annually than men in the tech sector
- The return rate for ties bought online is approximately 12%, lower than the general apparel average of 20%
- 18% of men report owning a "lucky tie" that they wear for interviews or big presentations
- Consumer interest in "knit ties" spikes every autumn, showing a distinct seasonal trend
Interpretation
These statistics suggest the tie has quietly become a ceremonial talisman rather than everyday armor, more often bought as gifts than chosen by wearers, hoarded at roughly a dozen per man yet worn regularly by fewer than three, dominated by reliable blue and power red and preferred in silk or stain-resistant finishes, driven by weddings, autumn knit spikes and millennial skinny tastes while Gen Z treats ties as special-occasion pieces, 72% of men cannot tie a bow tie, and finance professionals still pay a premium.
History & Culture
- The modern necktie originated from the Croatian mercenaries' cravats in the 17th century (circa 1630s)
- Mathematicians Thomas Fink and Yong Mao calculated there are exactly 85 ways to tie a standard tie
- A study published in the journal 'Stroke' found that tight neckties can increase intraocular pressure
- Research from the University of Schleswig-Holstein found tight ties can reduce blood flow to the brain by 7.5%
- The most expensive tie ever created, the Suashish Necktie, was valued at $220,000 and studied with diamonds
- King Louis XIV of France began wearing a lace cravat around 1646, popularizing the accessory in nobility
- The "Windsor Knot" was typically named after the Duke of Windsor, though he likely used a thick four-in-hand
- Wearing a red tie is psychologically perceived as asserting dominance and authority in Western cultures
- Wearing a blue tie is psychologically linked to projecting trustworthiness and calm
- The Guinness World Record for the longest necktie measures 155 meters (508 ft)
- The Steinkirk improvised cravat style originated from the Battle of Steenkerque in 1692 when soldiers tied them in haste
- Hospital studies have shown that doctors' ties can carry pathogens, leading the NHS to ban them in clinical settings
- The stripe direction on "Rep ties" differs: American stripes go top-right to bottom-left, British go top-left to bottom-right
- In the 1920s, Jesse Langsdorf patented the method of cutting fabric on the bias, creating the modern resilient tie
- The world's largest collection of ties (over 21,000) belongs to a collector in the US
- Salvador Dali designed a set of surrealist neckties in the 1940s, bridging art and menswear
- The "Kipper Tie" was a massive fashion trend in the 1960s/70s, characterized by extreme width (up to 5 inches)
- Neckties were originally used by Roman orators to keep their vocal cords warm (focalium)
- A 2008 Cornell study showed that people judge men wearing ties as more competent but less warm
- The word "Cravat" is a corruption of the word "Croat" (Hrvat)
Interpretation
From Roman focalia and 17th-century Croatian cravats that gave us the word "cravat", through Louis XIV's lace and the often-misnamed Windsor knot, the necktie has evolved into an artful yet occasionally dangerous emblem, appearing in Salvador Dalí designs, a $220,000 diamond-studded tie and a 155-meter Guinness-record ribbon, showcasing bias-cut resilience, kipper-era excess, Steinkirk improvisation and opposing rep-tie stripe rules, tempting mathematicians to prove there are exactly 85 knots, raising medical red flags when worn too tight or as a pathogen carrier in hospitals, and serving as a social cue that boosts perceived competence while cooling warmth and signals dominance in red or trustworthiness in blue.
Manufacturing & Trade
- Shengzhou, China, is known as the "Tie City" and produces approximately 300 million ties annually
- Shengzhou produces roughly 90% of China's ties and 60% of the world's ties
- A standard high-quality silk tie requires approximately 110 silkworm cocoons to produce
- The standard width of a modern necktie has narrowed from 3.75 inches in the 1990s to roughly 3.25 inches today
- Italy remains the premier exporter of high-end silk neckwear, particularly from the Lake Como region
- Polyester neckties account for the highest volume of production due to cost-efficiency
- A seven-fold tie (an unlined tie folded seven times) uses essentially double the fabric of a standard tie
- China exported $626M worth of ties in 2021, making it the top exporter
- Italy exported $285M worth of ties in 2021, ranking second globally
- Jacquard looms are the primary machinery used for weaving complex patterns into tie silk
- The HS Code (Harmonized System) for neckties is 6215 for woven and 6117 for knitted
- Knitted ties (square bottom) manufacturing has grown by 12% in production volume since 2015
- Hand-rolling the edges of a tie usually takes a skilled artisan about 20 to 30 minutes per tie
- Digital printing on silk has reduced the minimum order quantity (MOQ) for custom tie manufacturing by 80%
- Wool interlinings are used in 90% of high-quality ties to provide shape and recovery
- 100% of Hermes ties are manufactured in France using a screen printing process
- Manufacturing a single tie involves at least 10 manual quality control checks in luxury production
- The "bias cut" (cutting fabric at 45 degrees) is mandatory in manufacturing to ensure the tie hangs straight
- Synthetic microfiber ties are now manufactured to mimic the hand-feel of silk within 95% accuracy
- Germany is a key hub for processing and re-exporting textiles in Europe, including neckwear
Interpretation
The global tie trade is a sartorial paradox: Shengzhou churns out roughly 300 million ties a year and powers a polyester-driven, cost-efficient export machine that helped China ship $626 million in ties in 2021, yet Italy’s Lake Como, France’s Hermès and time-honored techniques like jacquard weaving, bias cutting, hand-rolling and the roughly 110 silkworm cocoons needed for a high-quality silk tie keep luxury neckwear artisanal and pricey even as digital printing and knitted styles democratize customization.
Market Economics
- The global neckwear market size was valued at approximately USD 3.6 billion in 2021
- The neckwear market is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.5% from 2022 to 2028
- In the United Kingdom, sales of neckties fell by 6.6% between 2018 and 2019 alone
- During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, formal wear sales including ties dropped by over 60% in nearly all major markets
- The United States is typically the largest importer of neckties globally, accounting for over 25% of global imports
- The luxury segment of the neckwear market holds a share of approximately 20% of total revenue
- Online sales channels for neckties are projected to grow faster than offline channels through 2025
- China accounts for the largest revenue share in the Asia Pacific neckwear market
- The average price of a luxury designer tie has increased by 15% over the last decade due to raw material costs
- Revenue in the Men's Accessories segment (which includes ties) amounts to US$16.03bn in 2023 for the US market
- The global market for silk neckties specifically is valued significantly higher per unit than polyester alternatives
- Inflation in 2022 caused a dip in unit volume sales of ties but maintained revenue due to higher prices
- Department stores historically accounted for 40% of tie sales, a figure that is steadily declining
- The corporate gift market accounts for roughly 5-8% of bulk tie orders globally
- Second-hand and vintage tie sales have seen a 20% year-on-year growth on platforms like eBay and Depop
- The European neckwear market is dominated by Italy, France, and the UK in terms of consumption value
- Small boutique tie makers have seen a 10% resurgence due to the "Made in local" movement
- Tie sales spike by approximately 25-30% in the weeks leading up to Father’s Day in the US
- The bespoke necktie market is estimated to be worth over $100 million globally
- Global tie exports dropped by nearly 20% in 2020 due to the cessation of business travel
Interpretation
Like a once-stiff Windsor knot loosened into new shapes, the roughly USD 3.6 billion global neckwear market growing at about 4.5% annually weathered a pandemic-era collapse in formalwear and a near 20% drop in exports, saw inflation and rising silk costs keep revenue afloat despite falling unit volumes, and experienced faster growth online and in second-hand, boutique, luxury and bespoke segments as department stores and business-travel-driven sales shrank, while regional leaders such as China, Italy, France and the UK and predictable spikes from Father’s Day and corporate gifting continue to define demand.
Workplace & Trends
- Goldman Sachs announced in 2019 that ties were no longer mandatory, signaling a major workplace shift
- In the UK House of Commons, male MPs were officially allowed to speak without a tie starting in 2017
- The "Bolo Tie" was declared the official state neckwear of Arizona in 1971
- 38% of HR managers say that a candidate wearing a tie makes a better first impression
- The "Air Tie" (buttoned shirt, no tie) trend increased by 40% in red carpet appearances between 2015 and 2020
- Japan's "Cool Biz" campaign urged office workers to ditch ties in summer to save energy, reducing tie usage by huge margins
- Visual recognition AI identifies ties in only 5% of Silicon Valley executive headshots
- New Zealand's Parliament removed the requirement for ties in 2021 after a clash with a Maori party leader
- "Cravat Day" represents a niche trend in Croatia celebrated on October 18th annually
- Private schools in the UK and Australia account for a steady 15% of the domestic tie market due to uniform policies
- The width of lapels and ties historically correlate; as lapels widened in 2023, tie widths followed suit
- During the G7 summit in 2022, leaders appeared without ties for the traditional photo, marking a diplomatic fashion shift
- Searches for "How to tie a tie" reached an all-time high on Google during prom season each year
- Disney instituted a "Disney Look" that required ties for male administrative staff until a relaxation in the 2010s
- The "Power Tie" trend of the 1980s correlated with the rise of Wall Street culture, increasing red tie sales
- Law firms remain the industry sector with the highest percentage (78%) of expected tie usage for client meetings
- "Casual Fridays," introduced in the 1990s, are cited as the single biggest catalyst for the decline of the daily tie
- Bow tie sales have grown 13% annually among hipsters and quirky fashion demographics
- Waitstaff in high-end dining are 90% likely to be required to wear ties or bow ties
- University and Club ties (rep ties) remain a stable market segment with little fluctuation in demand
Interpretation
Once the unquestioned emblem of professionalism, the tie has been steadily loosened by cultural and corporate shifts such as Goldman Sachs' 2019 policy change, Casual Fridays, Japan's Cool Biz campaign, Silicon Valley's buttoned shirt no tie norm that leaves visual recognition AI spotting ties in only five percent of tech headshots, and even leaders eschewing ties for the G7 photo, yet it remains a potent social and commercial signal in law firms, private schools, high end dining, university and club rep ties and niche traditions like Arizona's bolo and Croatia's Cravat Day, and because 38 percent of HR managers still reward its first impression value while prom season searches spike annually and bow ties and lapel linked fashions enjoy periodic revivals, the industry is thinning overall but surviving in focused, resilient pockets.
References
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