Despite a 3.1% decline in apparel manufacturing and a complex environmental footprint, the EU's textile industry, a sector of immense regional contrasts and a €162 billion turnover, showed surprising resilience in 2022 with export growth, rising nonwovens production, and increasing investments in circularity.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the EU-27 textile and clothing industry produced 5.2 million tonnes of textiles, representing a 2.5% decrease from 2021
- EU textile fibre consumption reached 10.8 million tonnes in 2022, with cotton accounting for 38% of total fibres used
- Italy led EU textile production with 1.8 million tonnes in 2022, followed by Germany at 0.9 million tonnes
- EU textile employment stood at 1.5 million jobs in 2022, a 1.2% decline from 2021
- Italy employed 380,000 in textiles and clothing in 2022
- EU textile sector female workforce participation was 75% in 2022
- EU textile exports totalled €47.5 billion in 2022, up 8.2% from 2021
- EU clothing imports from Asia reached €85 billion in 2022
- Italy's textile exports were €12.3 billion in 2022
- EU textile industry generated €162 billion turnover in 2022, down 2% from 2021
- Italy's textile sector turnover was €52 billion in 2022
- EU clothing market value reached €190 billion in 2022
- EU textile waste generated 5.8 million tonnes in 2022
- EU recycled textiles rate was 12% in 2022, up from 9% in 2020
- Italy's textile water usage averaged 100 litres per kg of fabric in 2022
In 2022, the EU textile industry faced mixed trends of slight output declines alongside trade and sustainability gains.
Economic Impact Statistics
- EU textile industry generated €162 billion turnover in 2022, down 2% from 2021
- Italy's textile sector turnover was €52 billion in 2022
- EU clothing market value reached €190 billion in 2022
- Germany textile industry added €25 billion to GDP in 2022
- Portugal's textile turnover grew 5% to €8.5 billion in 2022
- EU technical textiles market was €45 billion in 2022
- Spain's clothing sector revenue was €14 billion in 2022
- France textile turnover €28 billion in 2022
- Romania's industry value added €6.2 billion in 2022
- EU home textiles market €22 billion in 2022
- Poland textile turnover €12 billion in 2022
- Bulgaria's sector contributed 2.5% to national GDP in 2022
- Lithuania turnover €3.8 billion in 2022
- Latvia's textile GDP contribution 1.8% in 2022
- EU R&D investment in textiles €2.8 billion in 2022
- Slovakia turnover €2.7 billion in 2022
- Hungary's textile revenue €4.5 billion in 2022
- Croatia contributed €1.2 billion turnover in 2022
- Estonia's sector turnover €1.1 billion in 2022
- Czech Republic €7.9 billion textile turnover in 2022
- EU textile investment €4.2 billion in 2022
Economic Impact Statistics Interpretation
While the EU's €162 billion textile tapestry saw a slight 2% fray at the edges in 2022, the vibrant and resilient patchwork of national industries—from Italy's €52 billion powerhouse to Portugal's spirited 5% growth—proves the sector remains tightly woven into the continent's economic and innovative fabric.
Employment Statistics
- EU textile employment stood at 1.5 million jobs in 2022, a 1.2% decline from 2021
- Italy employed 380,000 in textiles and clothing in 2022
- EU textile sector female workforce participation was 75% in 2022
- Romania had 200,000 textile jobs in 2022, up 3%
- Germany employed 140,000 in textiles in 2022
- Portugal's textile employment was 130,000 in 2022
- EU apparel sector jobs numbered 900,000 in 2022, down 2%
- Spain had 85,000 textile workers in 2022
- France employed 95,000 in textiles in 2022
- Bulgaria's textile employment grew to 55,000 in 2022
- Greece had 70,000 jobs in textiles in 2022
- Poland employed 220,000 in textiles in 2022
- Lithuania's textile workforce was 45,000 in 2022
- Latvia employed 20,000 in textiles in 2022
- EU technical textiles employed 420,000 in 2022
- Slovakia had 25,000 textile jobs in 2022
- Hungary employed 35,000 in textiles in 2022
- Croatia's textile employment was 18,000 in 2022
- Estonia had 12,000 textile workers in 2022
- EU textile R&D staff numbered 50,000 in 2022
- Czech Republic employed 60,000 in textiles in 2022
- Denmark's textile jobs were 15,000 in 2022
- Netherlands had 25,000 textile employees in 2022
- Belgium employed 20,000 in textiles in 2022
Employment Statistics Interpretation
Despite a slight overall dip, Europe’s textile sector remains a formidable, female-dominated tapestry, where the threads of decline in some nations are vigorously woven together by growth in others, proving the industry is more than just hanging by a thread.
Production Statistics
- In 2022, the EU-27 textile and clothing industry produced 5.2 million tonnes of textiles, representing a 2.5% decrease from 2021
- EU textile fibre consumption reached 10.8 million tonnes in 2022, with cotton accounting for 38% of total fibres used
- Italy led EU textile production with 1.8 million tonnes in 2022, followed by Germany at 0.9 million tonnes
- The EU knitting sector produced 1.2 million tonnes of knitted fabrics in 2021, down 4% from pre-pandemic levels
- EU woven fabric production totalled 2.1 million tonnes in 2022, with synthetic fibres comprising 45%
- Romania's textile industry output grew by 7% in 2022 to 0.6 million tonnes, driven by apparel manufacturing
- EU nonwovens production hit 2.5 million tonnes in 2022, up 5% year-on-year
- Portugal's textile sector produced 0.4 million tonnes of yarns and fabrics in 2022
- EU technical textiles production accounted for 28% of total textile output in 2022 at 1.46 million tonnes
- Spain generated 0.3 million tonnes of textile products in 2022, focusing on home textiles
- France's textile production volume was 0.25 million tonnes in 2022, with emphasis on luxury fabrics
- EU apparel manufacturing output declined 3.1% in 2022 to 3.8 million tonnes
- Greece produced 0.15 million tonnes of textiles in 2022, mainly knitwear
- EU man-made fibre production reached 3.2 million tonnes in 2022
- Bulgaria's textile output increased 6% to 0.2 million tonnes in 2022
- EU home textile production was 0.9 million tonnes in 2022
- Latvia's textile industry produced 0.08 million tonnes in 2022
- EU leather and allied products output was 0.7 million tonnes in 2022
- Lithuania produced 0.12 million tonnes of textiles in 2022
- EU felt and nonwovens output grew to 1.1 million tonnes in 2022
- Estonia's textile production was 0.05 million tonnes in 2022
- EU textile machinery production value reached €2.5 billion in 2022
- Croatia produced 0.07 million tonnes of textiles in 2022
- EU carpet and rug production totalled 0.4 million tonnes in 2022
- Slovakia's textile output was 0.1 million tonnes in 2022
- EU rope and cordage production was 0.3 million tonnes in 2022
- Hungary produced 0.11 million tonnes of textiles in 2022
- EU lace production volume was 0.02 million tonnes in 2022
- Poland's textile production reached 0.5 million tonnes in 2022
Production Statistics Interpretation
While Europe's textile output slightly frayed at the edges in 2022, it revealed a resilient and diversely woven fabric, with Italy firmly stitching together its leadership, technical textiles threading strong growth, and Eastern Europe’s apparel manufacturing adding a vibrant new pattern to the industry's tapestry.
Sustainability Statistics
- EU textile waste generated 5.8 million tonnes in 2022
- EU recycled textiles rate was 12% in 2022, up from 9% in 2020
- Italy's textile water usage averaged 100 litres per kg of fabric in 2022
- EU chemical dye consumption in textiles 1.2 million tonnes in 2022
- 45% of EU textile firms adopted circular economy practices by 2022
- EU CO2 emissions from textile production 250 million tonnes equivalent in 2022
- Portugal recycled 25% of textile waste in 2022
- 30% of EU cotton use was sustainable certified in 2022
- Spain's textile energy consumption 15 TWh in 2022
- France reduced textile water pollution by 18% from 2018-2022
- Romania's EU ETS emissions for textiles down 5% in 2022
- EU organic textile fibres use grew 12% to 0.8 million tonnes in 2022
- Poland recycled 15% of textiles in 2022
- 22% EU apparel brands committed to net-zero by 2050 in 2022 survey
- Bulgaria's textile waste landfill rate 60% in 2022
- Lithuania used 40% recycled polyester in 2022
- EU microfibre pollution from textiles 0.5 million tonnes annually in 2022
- Latvia's sustainable fibre adoption 28% in 2022
- 65% EU textile SMEs invested in green tech in 2022
- Slovakia reduced energy use per kg textile by 10% 2017-2022
- Hungary's recycled content in textiles 18% in 2022
- Croatia's textile carbon footprint 1.2 tonnes CO2 per worker in 2022
- Estonia adopted GOTS certification for 15% production in 2022
Sustainability Statistics Interpretation
While we see hopeful sprouts like rising recycling rates and green tech investments, the sobering reality is that Europe's textile industry remains a thirsty, carbon-intensive behemoth, producing a mountain of waste where every thread pulled reveals a tangled web of progress and pollution.
Trade Statistics
- EU textile exports totalled €47.5 billion in 2022, up 8.2% from 2021
- EU clothing imports from Asia reached €85 billion in 2022
- Italy's textile exports were €12.3 billion in 2022
- EU textile trade surplus with non-EU countries was €2.1 billion in 2022
- Germany's textile imports totalled €18.4 billion in 2022
- Portugal exported €3.2 billion in textiles in 2022
- EU imports from Bangladesh were €13.5 billion in clothing in 2022
- Spain's clothing exports reached €2.8 billion in 2022
- France imported €15.2 billion in textiles in 2022
- Romania's textile exports grew 10% to €4.1 billion in 2022
- EU exports to USA were €6.7 billion in textiles in 2022
- Poland exported €2.9 billion in apparel in 2022
- Greece's textile imports were €1.2 billion in 2022
- Bulgaria exported €1.8 billion in clothing in 2022
- Lithuania's exports totalled €1.5 billion in 2022
- Latvia exported €0.8 billion in textiles in 2022
- EU-China textile trade deficit was €32 billion in 2022
- Slovakia's clothing exports were €1.1 billion in 2022
- Hungary imported €2.3 billion in textiles in 2022
- Croatia exported €0.6 billion in apparel in 2022
- Estonia's textile trade balance was negative €0.4 billion in 2022
- Czech Republic exported €3.5 billion in textiles in 2022
- Netherlands' textile imports were €10.5 billion in 2022
- EU recycled textile imports grew 15% to €1.2 billion in 2022
Trade Statistics Interpretation
While the EU's textile industry exports high-value craftsmanship, its massive and growing appetite for Asian imports reveals a delicate, somewhat threadbare fabric of trade, where maintaining a slender surplus depends on balancing luxury yarns with fast-fashion's powerful pull.
Sources & References
- Reference 1EURATEXeuratex.euVisit source
- Reference 2ECec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 3EUROSTATeurostat.ec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 4EDANAedana.orgVisit source
- Reference 5ATPatp.ptVisit source
- Reference 6FEDTEXTILfedtextil.esVisit source
- Reference 7FRANCE-TEXTILEfrance-textile.comVisit source
- Reference 8SETESsetes.grVisit source
- Reference 9CIRFScirfs.orgVisit source
- Reference 10LTPAltpa.lvVisit source
- Reference 11LITTEXlittex.ltVisit source
- Reference 12ETKetk.eeVisit source
- Reference 13ACIMITacimit.itVisit source
- Reference 14HTZhtz.hrVisit source
- Reference 15TEXTILtextil.skVisit source
- Reference 16MAGYARTEXTILmagyartextil.huVisit source
- Reference 17PIGFIPpigfip.org.plVisit source
- Reference 18UGTRugtr.roVisit source
- Reference 19TEXTIL-UND-MODEtextil-und-mode.deVisit source
- Reference 20TEXTILtextil.czVisit source
- Reference 21TEXTILBRANCHENtextilbranchen.dkVisit source
- Reference 22MODINTmodint.nlVisit source
- Reference 23FEFTAfefta.euVisit source
- Reference 24DESTATISdestatis.deVisit source
- Reference 25DOUANEdouane.gouv.frVisit source