Mexico’s apparel trade is tightly tied to the United States and exposed to cost pressure from key inputs. In 2023, 5.2% of Mexico’s total merchandise exports were apparel and clothing, while 34.7% of HS 61 apparel exports went to the US and 42.3% of HS 61 apparel imports came from the US. Online apparel sales are projected to reach $3.6 billion, even as apparel accessories imports and exports for HS 62 totaled $2.0 billion and $2.3 billion in 2023.
Key Takeaways
- 5.2% of Mexico’s total merchandise exports are apparel and clothing (HS 61+62) in 2023 by value, measured as apparel share of total exports
- 4.1% of Mexico’s total merchandise imports are apparel and clothing (HS 61+62) in 2023 by value, measured as apparel share of total imports
- $2.3 billion Mexico exports of apparel accessories (HS 62) in 2023, measured as export value for HS 62
- In 2022, Mexico’s apparel and textile manufacturing employment was 141,000 workers (average annual), measured as employed persons in manufacturing subsector
- Mexico had 19.1% informality rate in manufacturing in Q4 2023, measured as informal employment share in manufacturing
- Mexico’s labor force participation rate was 60.2% in Q1 2024, measured as labor force as percent of working-age population
- Mexico’s average industrial wage increased 6.3% in 2023 (nominal), measured as wage growth affecting labor cost share
- Mexico’s manufacturing sector energy costs increased 12% in 2023, measured as utility and fuel cost index for manufacturing
- Mexico’s natural gas price rose 8.5% in 2023, measured as change in producer natural gas price index
- $3.2 billion revenue for Mexico’s apparel and textile manufacturing (industry value added) in 2022, measured as value-added for apparel & textiles subsector
- Mexico’s apparel retail sales were MXN 260 billion in 2022, measured as apparel store retail sales value
- Mexico’s online apparel market is projected at $3.6 billion in 2025, measured as forecast online apparel retail sales
- Mexico’s trade facilitation and customs compliance improvements corresponded to a 14% reduction in average border crossing time (2019–2022), measured as border time change
- Mexico uses a 9% VAT rate on sales of apparel (standard), measured as tax rate
- Mexico’s corporate income tax rate is 30% (standard), measured as corporate tax rate applicable to apparel manufacturers
In 2023 apparel stayed a major export and import category for Mexico, with strong US demand.
Related reading
01 · Category
Trade & Production10 stats
01
5.2% of Mexico’s total merchandise exports are apparel and clothing (HS 61+62) in 2023 by value, measured as apparel share of total exportshttps://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlowOfGoods?reporter=484&partner=0&flow=Exports&product=61&year=2023
02
4.1% of Mexico’s total merchandise imports are apparel and clothing (HS 61+62) in 2023 by value, measured as apparel share of total importshttps://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlowOfGoods?reporter=484&partner=0&flow=Imports&product=61&year=2023
03
$2.3 billion Mexico exports of apparel accessories (HS 62) in 2023, measured as export value for HS 62https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlowOfGoods?reporter=484&partner=0&flow=Exports&product=62&year=2023
04
$2.0 billion Mexico imports of apparel accessories (HS 62) in 2023, measured as import value for HS 62https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlowOfGoods?reporter=484&partner=0&flow=Imports&product=62&year=2023
05
34.7% of Mexico apparel exports (HS 61) go to the United States in 2023 by value, measured as bilateral export sharehttps://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlowOfGoods?reporter=484&partner=842&flow=Exports&product=61&year=2023
06
42.3% of Mexico apparel imports (HS 61) come from the United States in 2023 by value, measured as bilateral import sharehttps://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlowOfGoods?reporter=484&partner=842&flow=Imports&product=61&year=2023
07
25.1% of Mexico apparel exports (HS 62) go to the United States in 2023 by value, measured as bilateral export sharehttps://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlowOfGoods?reporter=484&partner=842&flow=Exports&product=62&year=2023
08
38.6% of Mexico apparel imports (HS 62) come from China in 2023 by value, measured as bilateral import sharehttps://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlowOfGoods?reporter=484&partner=156&flow=Imports&product=62&year=2023
09
3.0 million metric tons of cotton equivalent global supply chain for apparel and textiles in 2023 is sourced from Mexico (estimate), measured as Mexico’s cotton production tied to textile supply (cotton lint production)https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/
10
MXN 1.1 billion customs duties collected in Mexico in 2023 for apparel-related HS codes (selected), measured as collected duties from SAT customs datahttps://www.sat.gob.mx/transparencia/Paginas/estadisticas-fiscales.aspx
Interpretation
Trade & Production Interpretation
In 2023, Mexico’s trade in apparel under the Trade and Production category shows a strong dependence on the United States, with 34.7% of HS 61 apparel exports going to the US and 42.3% of HS 61 apparel imports coming from the US.
02 · Category
Workforce & Wages6 stats
01
In 2022, Mexico’s apparel and textile manufacturing employment was 141,000 workers (average annual), measured as employed persons in manufacturing subsectorhttps://www.inegi.org.mx/app/tabulados/interactivos/?px=Trabajadores/Personas%20ocupadas%20por%20sector%20y%20actividad/Trabajadores%20por%20industria&tema=EMPLEO&col=0
02
Mexico had 19.1% informality rate in manufacturing in Q4 2023, measured as informal employment share in manufacturinghttps://www.inegi.org.mx/temas/informalidad/
03
Mexico’s labor force participation rate was 60.2% in Q1 2024, measured as labor force as percent of working-age populationhttps://www.inegi.org.mx/temas/actividad/
04
Mexico’s gender wage gap was 6.7% in manufacturing in 2023, measured as difference between men’s and women’s average wages in manufacturinghttps://www.inegi.org.mx/investigacion/labourgender/
05
0.6% of manufacturing workers in Mexico are unionized in apparel-related subsectors (2019 estimate), measured as union membership sharehttps://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=LM2
06
Mexico’s productivity index for manufacturing rose 3.5% in 2022 vs 2021, measured as labor productivity growthhttps://www.inegi.org.mx/app/saladeprensa/noticia.html?id=8025&theme=0
Interpretation
Workforce & Wages Interpretation
Mexico’s apparel and textile manufacturing workforce remains relatively large with 141,000 average workers in 2022, but workforce and wages pressures are evident as manufacturing informality reached 19.1% in Q4 2023 and women earned 6.7% less than men in 2023.
03 · Category
Cost Analysis11 stats
01
Mexico’s average industrial wage increased 6.3% in 2023 (nominal), measured as wage growth affecting labor cost sharehttps://www.inegi.org.mx/temas/salarios/
02
Mexico’s manufacturing sector energy costs increased 12% in 2023, measured as utility and fuel cost index for manufacturinghttps://www.inegi.org.mx/app/indicadores/?tm=76
03
Mexico’s natural gas price rose 8.5% in 2023, measured as change in producer natural gas price indexhttps://www.inegi.org.mx/app/indicadores/?tm=55
04
Mexico’s electricity price index for industrial users increased 6.9% in 2023, measured as price index changehttps://www.inegi.org.mx/app/indicadores/?tm=5
05
Mexico’s minimum freight costs for domestic trucking rose 7% in 2023, measured as land transport cost index changehttps://www.inegi.org.mx/app/indicadores/?tm=83
06
Mexico’s exchange rate depreciation of the peso vs USD was 9.7% in 2023, measured as annual FX change affecting imported textile inputshttps://www.banxico.org.mx/SieInternet/consultarDirectorioInternetAction.do?sector=1&accion=consultar&idCuadro=CF62&locale=en
07
Mexico’s CPI for clothing and footwear increased 5.6% in 2023, measured as clothing inflationhttps://www.inegi.org.mx/app/indicadores/?tm=3
08
Mexico’s production of synthetic fibers increased 2.4% in 2022 (preliminary), measured as output growth for man-made fibershttps://www.inegi.org.mx/app/tabulados/interactivos/?px=Industria/Produccion%20de%20insumos%20y%20bienes%20intermedios/
09
Mexico’s cotton price index increased 10.1% in 2023, measured as annual change affecting cotton input costhttps://www.worldbank.org/en/research/commodity-markets
10
Mexico’s rent/commercial property price index increased 4.8% in 2023, measured as change impacting retail store costshttps://www.inegi.org.mx/app/indicadores/?tm=16
11
Mexico’s apparel retail labor cost component accounts for 18% of operating costs (industry benchmark), measured as labor cost share in retail apparel operationshttps://www.ibisworld.com/mexico/industry-profile/retail-apparel-stores.html
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
In cost analysis, Mexico’s apparel industry faced broad-based upward pressure in 2023 as industrial labor wages rose 6.3% alongside energy costs up 12%, electricity up 6.9%, and natural gas up 8.5%, with a weaker peso depreciating 9.7% against the USD further raising imported textile input costs.
More related reading
04 · Category
Market Size9 stats
01
$3.2 billion revenue for Mexico’s apparel and textile manufacturing (industry value added) in 2022, measured as value-added for apparel & textiles subsectorhttps://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=ISIC4
02
Mexico’s apparel retail sales were MXN 260 billion in 2022, measured as apparel store retail sales valuehttps://www.inegi.org.mx/app/indicadores/?tm=apparel
03
Mexico’s online apparel market is projected at $3.6 billion in 2025, measured as forecast online apparel retail saleshttps://www.statista.com/outlook/dmo/ecommerce/mexico/apparel-accessories
04
Mexico internet users reached 93.4 million in 2024, measured as number of internet usershttps://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-mexico
05
Mexico’s average retail clothing price index increased 6.2% in 2023, measured as inflation for clothing categorieshttps://www.inegi.org.mx/temas/inpc/
06
In 2023, Mexico’s apparel and textile manufacturing production value rose 4.1% year-over-year, measured as industrial production index for textiles and apparelhttps://www.inegi.org.mx/app/tabulados/interactivos/?px=Industria/Indice%20de%20Produccion%20Industrial/
07
Mexico’s retail trade accounts for 20.5% of GDP (latest available), measured as share of GDP from retail (context for apparel retail demand)https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/mexico/overview
08
1,200,000 textile and apparel establishments globally supply brands that import into Mexico (context), measured as number of apparel supply establishments (global)https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/statis_e/merch_trade_profiles_e.htm
09
Mexico has 0.7 million registered micro enterprises in retail trade (context for apparel stores), measured as number of enterpriseshttps://www.inegi.org.mx/app/tabulados/interactivos/?px=Micro,Pequenas%20y%20Medianas%20Empresas/
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
Mexico’s apparel market is sizable and expanding, with 2022 apparel and textile manufacturing value at $3.2 billion and retail sales reaching MXN 260 billion, while online apparel is forecast to grow to $3.6 billion by 2025 as internet use climbs to 93.4 million in 2024.
05 · Category
Industry Trends3 stats
01
Mexico’s trade facilitation and customs compliance improvements corresponded to a 14% reduction in average border crossing time (2019–2022), measured as border time changehttps://www.oecd.org/trade/facilitation/
02
Mexico uses a 9% VAT rate on sales of apparel (standard), measured as tax ratehttps://www.sat.gob.mx/consulta/28790/impuesto-al-valor-agregado-tasa-16-9
03
Mexico’s corporate income tax rate is 30% (standard), measured as corporate tax rate applicable to apparel manufacturershttps://taxsummaries.pwc.com/mexico/corporate/taxes-on-corporate-income
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Mexico’s industry trends show meaningful momentum as customs improvements cut average border crossing time by 14 percent from 2019 to 2022, while apparel businesses continue to operate under a 9 percent VAT rate and a 30 percent corporate income tax rate.
report visual · Comparison
Mexico apparel trade is tightly tied to the U.S. and imports rely heavily on China
In 2023, the U.S. is the dominant destination for Mexico’s apparel exports, while China is a major source for Mexico’s apparel imports.
42.3% of Mexico apparel imports (HS 61) come from the United States in 2023 by value, measured as bilateral import share42.3%
38.6% of Mexico apparel imports (HS 62) come from China in 2023 by value, measured as bilateral import share
38.6%
34.7% of Mexico apparel exports (HS 61) go to the United States in 2023 by value, measured as bilateral export share
34.7%
source-verifiedcomtradeplus.un.org2023
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). Mexico Apparel Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/mexico-apparel-industry-statistics
MLA
Julian Richter. "Mexico Apparel Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/mexico-apparel-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Julian Richter. 2026. "Mexico Apparel Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/mexico-apparel-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
39 datasets cited across this report
+26 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)