From the 450 million garments stitched in maquiladoras to the $8.5 billion in exports crossing the northern border, Mexico's textile industry is a powerhouse of production, innovation, and complex global trade.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Mexico's textile industry produced 1.2 million tons of cotton yarn, representing 12% of Latin America's total production
- The maquiladora sector in textiles manufactured 450 million garments in 2023, with 60% being denim products
- Synthetic fiber production reached 850,000 metric tons in Mexico in 2021, up 5% from previous year
- Mexico's textile industry employed 850,000 direct workers in 2022, with 55% women
- Average monthly wage in textile manufacturing was MXN 8,500 in 2023
- 45% of textile jobs are in apparel subsector as of 2022
- Mexico exported $8.5 billion in textiles and apparel to the US in 2022
- Mexico's textile exports to Canada grew 12% to $450 million in 2023
- Denim jeans exports reached 120 million units valued at $2.1 billion in 2022
- Mexico imported $4.2 billion in textile machinery from Asia in 2022
- Synthetic fibers imports reached 1.1 million tons valued at $2.8 billion in 2023
- Cotton imports totaled 450,000 tons from US in 2022
- FDI in Mexican textiles reached $1.2 billion in 2022 from US firms
- 15 new maquiladora plants opened in 2023, creating 20,000 jobs
- Government incentives via IMMEX program: $450 million disbursed in 2022
Mexico's textile industry is large and diverse, producing for domestic and export markets.
Employment
- Mexico's textile industry employed 850,000 direct workers in 2022, with 55% women
- Average monthly wage in textile manufacturing was MXN 8,500 in 2023
- 45% of textile jobs are in apparel subsector as of 2022
- Puebla employs 120,000 in textiles, 14% of national total in 2021
- Youth under 25 comprise 28% of textile workforce in 2023
- Unionized workers in textiles number 150,000, or 18% in 2022
- Turnover rate in textile factories was 22% annually in 2021
- 320,000 jobs in garment maquiladoras across northern border in 2023
- Training programs reached 50,000 workers via CANAIVE in 2022
- Female supervisors in textiles increased to 15% in 2023 from 10% in 2020
- Informal employment in textiles is 12% of total workforce in 2022
- Average workweek in textiles is 48 hours, with overtime at 10% in 2021
- Guanajuato state has 95,000 textile jobs, focusing on denim in 2023
- Productivity per worker rose 4.2% to $15,000 annual in 2022
- Migrant workers from Central America fill 8% of textile positions in 2023
- Safety training covered 70% of workforce in 2022, reducing accidents by 15%
- Engineers and technicians in textiles number 25,000 in 2021
- Part-time employment is 5% in industry, mostly seasonal in 2023
- Tlaxcala employs 80,000 in traditional textiles and apparel in 2022
- Wage growth in textiles was 6.5% YoY in 2023 due to USMCA
- Child labor in textiles reduced to under 1% by 2022 inspections
- Remote work in design sectors is 3% of textile employment in 2023
- Hidalgo state has 45,000 jobs in yarn spinning in 2021
- Benefits coverage reaches 92% of formal textile workers in 2022
- Skill gaps affect 35% of positions, per 2023 survey
- Coahuila employs 60,000 in non-wovens production in 2022
- Overtime pay compliance is 95% in audited factories 2023
- Textile apprenticeships trained 12,000 youth in 2021
- Gender pay gap in textiles is 18% favoring men in 2022
Employment Interpretation
Despite boasting over 850,000 jobs and rising wages, Mexico's textile industry remains a tightly woven fabric of progress—with a 28% youth workforce, a growing 15% of female supervisors, and a 95% overtime compliance rate—and persistent frays, evidenced by an 18% gender pay gap, a 22% turnover rate, and a third of positions plagued by skill gaps.
Exports
- Mexico exported $8.5 billion in textiles and apparel to the US in 2022
- Mexico's textile exports to Canada grew 12% to $450 million in 2023
- Denim jeans exports reached 120 million units valued at $2.1 billion in 2022
- Non-woven exports surged 25% to $1.2 billion in 2023
- EU textile imports from Mexico totaled $650 million in 2022, up 8%
- Cotton t-shirts exports to US were 450 million units in 2023
- Home textiles exports hit $1.8 billion, 22% of total in 2022
- Automotive textiles exports valued $900 million to NAFTA partners in 2021
- Knitwear exports grew 15% to $3.2 billion in 2023
- Mexico ranked 3rd in US apparel imports at 7.5% share in 2022
- Woven shirts exports totaled 80 million units worth $1.1 billion in 2023
- Technical textiles exports to Asia reached $300 million in 2022
- Underwear exports were $750 million, mainly to US in 2021
- Socks exports hit 200 million pairs valued at $400 million in 2023
- Bedding exports grew 18% to $850 million in 2022
- Activewear exports totaled $2.5 billion, 30% growth in 2023
- Towels exports reached $550 million to US and EU in 2021
- Denim fabrics exports were 150 million meters in 2022
- Medical textiles exports surged to $450 million post-COVID in 2023
- Curtains exports valued $250 million in 2022
- Mexico's share in US knit fabric imports was 15% in 2023
- Sportswear exports to Europe hit $180 million in 2021
- Yarn exports totaled $1.4 billion, 16% to Central America in 2022
- Women's dresses exports were 35 million units in 2023
- Protective clothing exports grew 20% to $320 million in 2022
Exports Interpretation
While its fashion sector is robust enough to clothe the Americas in denim and t-shirts, Mexico’s textile industry is shrewdly stitching together a more sophisticated future, threading innovation from medical gowns to automotive interiors through the very fabric of its economy.
Imports
- Mexico imported $4.2 billion in textile machinery from Asia in 2022
- Synthetic fibers imports reached 1.1 million tons valued at $2.8 billion in 2023
- Cotton imports totaled 450,000 tons from US in 2022
- Sewing machines imports were $650 million, 60% from China in 2021
- Dyestuffs and chemicals imports hit $1.5 billion in 2023
- Polyester staple fiber imports from South Korea: 300,000 tons in 2022
- Fabric imports for re-export processing: $3.1 billion in 2023
- Spinning machinery from Europe valued $420 million in 2021
- Nylon yarn imports totaled 50,000 tons in 2022
- Weaving looms imports: 2,500 units worth $180 million in 2023
- Recycled polyester imports grew 30% to 120,000 tons in 2022
- Wool imports from Australia: 12,000 tons in 2021
- Knitting machines: $250 million imported in 2023
- Specialty chemicals for finishing: $800 million from Germany in 2022
- Viscose fiber imports: 80,000 tons valued at $220 million in 2023
- Apparel fabrics from Asia: $2.9 billion in 2021
- Automation equipment imports rose 18% to $950 million in 2022
- Acrylic fiber from China: 25,000 tons in 2023
- Dyeing machinery: $300 million imported in 2021
- Raw cotton from Brazil: 100,000 tons in 2022
- Non-woven machinery: $150 million from Italy in 2023
- Elastane imports: 6,000 tons worth $90 million in 2022
Imports Interpretation
Mexico’s textile industry is threading a costly and sophisticated global supply chain, stitching together a massive production engine that runs almost entirely on imported machinery, fibers, and chemicals.
Investments
- FDI in Mexican textiles reached $1.2 billion in 2022 from US firms
- 15 new maquiladora plants opened in 2023, creating 20,000 jobs
- Government incentives via IMMEX program: $450 million disbursed in 2022
- Chinese FDI in yarn spinning: $300 million since 2020
- Private equity investments in apparel: $180 million in 2023
- Expansion in Puebla textile parks: $250 million invested in 2022
- Sustainability tech investments: $120 million in recycling plants 2023
- US companies invested $800 million in denim facilities 2021-2023
- PROSEDI program allocated $60 million for modernization in 2022
- Venture capital in digital textile design: $45 million in 2023
- FDI from Europe in technical textiles: $220 million in 2022
- 10 greenfield projects in non-wovens: $400 million total 2023
- Tax credits attracted $150 million for automation in 2021
- Korean firms invested $100 million in polyester plants 2022
- Infrastructure upgrades in border zones: $350 million public-private 2023
- R&D investments reached $80 million via CONACYT grants 2022
- Mergers and acquisitions in apparel: $90 million deals in 2023
- Solar energy installations in factories: $70 million invested 2021-2023
- Expansion of CANAIVE members' capacities: $500 million self-funded 2022
- Nearshoring boom: $2.1 billion FDI projected for 2024
- Italian machinery suppliers financed $110 million upgrades in 2023
- Local banks loaned $600 million for textile expansions 2022
- Biotech textiles startups received $25 million VC in 2023
Investments Interpretation
The threads of Mexico's textile industry are being woven with golden needles, as over $2 billion in FDI and a flurry of local investment—from denim to digital design—stitch together a modern, sustainable, and fiercely competitive nearshoring powerhouse.
Production
- In 2022, Mexico's textile industry produced 1.2 million tons of cotton yarn, representing 12% of Latin America's total production
- The maquiladora sector in textiles manufactured 450 million garments in 2023, with 60% being denim products
- Synthetic fiber production reached 850,000 metric tons in Mexico in 2021, up 5% from previous year
- Puebla state accounted for 25% of national textile weaving capacity at 1.5 billion meters of fabric in 2022
- Mexico's non-woven fabrics output was 300,000 tons in 2023, driven by medical and hygiene sectors
- Home textiles production, including bedding, totaled $2.1 billion in value in 2022
- Knitted fabric production hit 2.8 billion square meters in 2021 across 150 mills
- Wool yarn production in Mexico was 15,000 tons in 2022, mainly for export markets
- Technical textiles output grew to 120,000 tons in 2023, focusing on automotive applications
- Overall textile manufacturing capacity utilization was 78% in Q4 2022
- Rayon and acetate fiber production stood at 45,000 tons in 2021
- Denim fabric production reached 250 million meters in 2023 from 45 factories
- Carpet and rug manufacturing output was 18 million square meters in 2022
- Polyester filament yarn production was 620,000 tons in 2022
- Apparel production from recycled textiles hit 50 million units in 2023
- Towels and bath linens production totaled 120 million pieces in 2021
- Spandex yarn output grew to 8,000 tons in 2022 amid sportswear demand
- Curtain and drapery fabrics produced 95 million meters in 2023
- Industrial thread production was 25,000 tons in 2022
- Felt and non-wovens for filtration reached 40,000 tons in 2021
- Cotton fabric greige goods output was 1.8 billion meters in 2022
- Viscose staple fiber production stood at 30,000 tons in 2023
- Socks manufacturing produced 400 million pairs in 2022
- Leather-like synthetic textiles output was 15,000 tons in 2021
- Bed sheets production reached 80 million units in 2023
- Nylon filament yarn was 180,000 tons in 2022
- Underwear and lingerie output totaled 250 million pieces in 2021
- Geotextiles production grew to 22,000 tons in 2023
- Acrylic fiber output was 12,000 tons in 2022
- T-shirts manufacturing hit 1.1 billion units in 2023
Production Interpretation
From denim's stranglehold in the maquiladoras to a tidal wave of t-shirts and the quiet rise of high-tech fabrics, Mexico's textile industry weaves a massive, multifaceted tapestry of production that refuses to be pigeonholed.
Sources & References
- Reference 1INEGIinegi.org.mxVisit source
- Reference 2OTEXAotexa.trade.govVisit source
- Reference 3GOBgob.mxVisit source
- Reference 4CANAIVEcanaive.org.mxVisit source
- Reference 5TEXTILEWORLDtextileworld.comVisit source
- Reference 6FIBRE2FASHIONfibre2fashion.comVisit source
- Reference 7JUST-STYLEjust-style.comVisit source
- Reference 8INTERNATIONALinternational.gc.caVisit source
- Reference 9ECec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 10CONACYTconacyt.mxVisit source