From stitching a global economic tapestry worth trillions to weaving the livelihoods of hundreds of millions, the textiles industry is an immense and evolving force shaping our world, as revealed by its staggering statistics.
Key Takeaways
- The global textiles market size reached approximately $1.14 trillion in 2023.
- The textiles industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% from 2024 to 2030.
- Asia-Pacific holds 54% of the global textiles market share in 2023.
- World textile fiber consumption hit 116 million metric tons in 2023.
- China produced 52 million tons of textile fibers in 2022.
- India’s textile production capacity 8,000 million meters fabric annually.
- Global textiles employment totals 300 million people worldwide.
- China's textiles sector employs 20 million workers in 2023.
- India employs 45 million in textiles and apparel.
- Global textiles trade value $1.1 trillion in 2022.
- China exported $292 billion textiles in 2022.
- EU imports 40% of global textiles trade.
- Textiles industry water usage 79 trillion liters annually.
- Fashion and textiles responsible for 10% global CO2 emissions.
- 92 million tons textile waste generated yearly.
The textiles industry is a global economic giant facing both massive growth and pressing sustainability challenges.
Employment Statistics
- Global textiles employment totals 300 million people worldwide.
- China's textiles sector employs 20 million workers in 2023.
- India employs 45 million in textiles and apparel.
- Bangladesh garment industry has 4.4 million workers.
- US textiles employment 500,000 in manufacturing 2022.
- Vietnam textiles employs 2.5 million people in 2023.
- EU textiles sector 1.5 million direct jobs in 2022.
- Pakistan textiles workforce 15 million in 2023.
- Turkey apparel industry employs 1 million.
- Indonesia textiles jobs 3.8 million in 2022.
- Ethiopia textiles sector 50,000 jobs created since 2010.
- Mexico maquiladoras employ 800,000 in apparel.
- Italy fashion and textiles 400,000 employed.
- Brazil textiles 1.5 million jobs in 2022.
- Cambodia garment workers 800,000 in 2023.
- 75% of global apparel workers are women.
- South Africa textiles employment 100,000 in 2022.
- Thailand textiles 1.2 million workers.
- Global informal textiles employment 200 million.
- Lesotho textiles 40,000 jobs, 40% of GDP.
- Peru textiles informal workers 500,000.
- Average wage in Bangladesh RMG $113/month in 2023.
- US textiles unionized workforce 10%.
- Global textiles youth employment 20 million under 25.
- Jordan apparel factories 70,000 migrant workers.
- Haiti textiles peak employment 60,000 pre-COVID.
Employment Statistics Interpretation
While the dazzling world of fashion is spun from a vast global web of 300 million jobs, a sobering thread runs through it: the industry’s backbone is often built on the modest wages and informal labor of millions, particularly women, from Dhaka to Lima.
Market Size & Growth
- The global textiles market size reached approximately $1.14 trillion in 2023.
- The textiles industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% from 2024 to 2030.
- Asia-Pacific holds 54% of the global textiles market share in 2023.
- The technical textiles segment is expected to reach $285 billion by 2028.
- US textiles market revenue was $120 billion in 2022.
- European textiles market valued at €162 billion in 2022.
- Indian textiles industry contributes 2% to national GDP in 2023.
- China's textiles exports generated $323 billion in 2022.
- Global apparel market within textiles hit $1.5 trillion in 2023.
- Home textiles market size was $124 billion globally in 2022.
- Sustainable textiles market projected to grow to $15.2 billion by 2030.
- Bangladesh textiles sector accounts for 84% of total exports in 2023.
- Turkey's textiles industry output reached €28 billion in 2022.
- Vietnam textiles exports surged 15% to $44 billion in 2023.
- Global fiber production for textiles was 113 million tons in 2022.
- Cotton textiles market valued at $50 billion in 2023.
- Synthetic textiles dominate with 70% market share in 2023.
- Luxury textiles segment to reach $12 billion by 2027.
- Middle East textiles market growing at 5.2% CAGR to 2028.
- Brazilian textiles market size $12.5 billion in 2022.
- Pakistan textiles contributes 60% to exports, $19 billion in 2023.
- Global nonwovens textiles market $52.6 billion in 2023.
- Italian textiles turnover €52 billion in 2022.
- Indonesian textiles industry $20 billion in 2023.
- African textiles market projected $30 billion by 2025.
- Global smart textiles market $2.5 billion in 2023.
- Mexican textiles exports $8.2 billion in 2022.
- South Korean textiles market $25 billion in 2023.
- Global recycled textiles market $8.1 billion in 2023.
- Australian textiles industry $4.5 billion in 2022.
Market Size & Growth Interpretation
Despite a trillion-dollar global market that's practically sewn up by Asia-Pacific and dominated by synthetics, the fabric of the industry is being rewoven by growth in technical textiles, sustainability, and regional powerhouses, proving this old trade still has new threads.
Production Volumes
- World textile fiber consumption hit 116 million metric tons in 2023.
- China produced 52 million tons of textile fibers in 2022.
- India’s textile production capacity 8,000 million meters fabric annually.
- US textile mills produced 8.2 billion square meters in 2022.
- Bangladesh garment factories produced 1.2 billion pieces in 2023.
- EU-27 textile fiber production 3.5 million tons in 2022.
- Vietnam yarn production reached 1.1 million tons in 2023.
- Turkey fabric production 2.5 billion meters in 2022.
- Global cotton production 25.3 million tons in 2022/23.
- Polyester fiber production 58 million tons worldwide in 2022.
- Indonesia textile production 4.2 million tons in 2023.
- Pakistan cotton yarn production 1.8 million tons in 2022.
- Brazil textile fiber output 0.8 million tons in 2022.
- Global nonwoven production 13.2 million tons in 2023.
- Italy apparel production 250 million units in 2022.
- South Africa textile mills output 150,000 tons in 2022.
- Mexico garment production 200 million pieces in 2023.
- Thailand silk production 8,000 tons annually.
- Egypt cotton production 1.1 million bales in 2022/23.
- Global wool production 1.9 million tons in 2022.
- Iran carpet production 5 million square meters in 2023.
- Peru alpaca fiber production 4,500 tons in 2022.
- Canada synthetic fiber production 300,000 tons in 2022.
- Uzbekistan cotton production 5.8 million tons in 2023.
- Global denim production 6 billion meters in 2022.
- Philippines garment factories output 100 million units in 2023.
- Global viscose production 7.2 million tons in 2022.
- Sri Lanka apparel production 300 million garments in 2023.
Production Volumes Interpretation
We've woven a world where humanity's wardrobe is a tapestry of staggering scale, stitching together everything from China's mountain of fibers to Peru's modest alpaca flock, proving we're all wrapped up in a fabric of truly global and, frankly, voracious consumption.
Sustainability & Environment
- Textiles industry water usage 79 trillion liters annually.
- Fashion and textiles responsible for 10% global CO2 emissions.
- 92 million tons textile waste generated yearly.
- Cotton farming uses 16% world's insecticides.
- Microplastics from synthetics 0.5 million tons to oceans yearly.
- Organic cotton production 1 million tons in 2022.
- Recycled polyester 14 million tons produced in 2022.
- Textiles water pollution 20% industrial wastewater.
- Global brands pledged 100% sustainable cotton by 2025.
- Dyeing process uses 100-150 liters water per kg fabric.
- Fast fashion produces 500 billion garments yearly.
- Lyocell production saves 50% water vs viscose.
- EU textile recycling rate 15% in 2022.
- Carbon footprint of t-shirt 10 kg CO2 equivalent.
- 85% polyester in landfills non-biodegradable.
- Regenerative agriculture in cotton up 20% in 2023.
- Global textile chemical use 7% industrial chemicals.
- H&M recycled 20,000 tons textiles in 2022.
- Waterless dyeing tech saves 95% water.
- Global sustainable fashion market $8 billion in 2023.
- Cotton uses 2,700 liters water per t-shirt.
- Biodegradable fibers 1.5% of production.
- ZDHC zero discharge certified 200 facilities.
- Textile worker chemical exposure causes 1 million illnesses yearly.
- Circular textiles economy could save $100 billion by 2030.
- Patagonia 68% recycled materials in products.
- Global microfiber shedding 35% from washing.
- Leather tanning pollutes 17,000 liters water per ton.
- Renewcell Circulose recycled 10,000 tons in 2023.
Sustainability & Environment Interpretation
While the fashion industry spins a tale of endless renewal, it’s currently a thirsty, wasteful, and polluting story where a single t-shirt’s carbon and water footprint could drown out its promise, leaving us with a mountain of waste and a sea of microplastics as the cost of our closets.
Trade & Exports
- Global textiles trade value $1.1 trillion in 2022.
- China exported $292 billion textiles in 2022.
- EU imports 40% of global textiles trade.
- Bangladesh RMG exports $45 billion in 2023.
- US textiles imports $120 billion in 2022.
- India textiles exports $40 billion in FY2023.
- Vietnam textiles exports $39 billion in 2022.
- Turkey textiles exports €28 billion in 2022.
- Pakistan textiles exports $19.4 billion in 2022/23.
- Indonesia textiles exports $13.5 billion in 2023.
- Cambodia garments exports $10 billion in 2022.
- Mexico USMCA textiles exports $8.5 billion to US.
- Italy textiles exports €40 billion in 2022.
- Germany imports €50 billion textiles annually.
- Global cotton yarn trade 4.5 million tons.
- UK post-Brexit textiles imports £20 billion.
- Ethiopia textiles exports $200 million in 2023.
- Sri Lanka apparel exports $5.3 billion in 2022.
- Global man-made fiber trade $150 billion.
- Japan textiles imports $15 billion in 2022.
- Morocco EU textiles exports €3 billion under agreement.
- Peru US textiles exports $1.2 billion.
- Global textiles trade growth 7% in 2023.
- Netherlands re-exports 25% of EU textiles.
- Lesotho US AGOA textiles $300 million.
- Global textiles tariffs average 8.5%.
- Jordan US QIZ textiles exports $1.6 billion.
Trade & Exports Interpretation
Despite stitching together a staggering $1.1 trillion wardrobe for the world, the global textiles trade is a masterclass in economic fashion, where China meticulously tailors the supply, Europe voraciously accessorizes, and a host of nations from Bangladesh to Vietnam furiously hem the seams of fast fashion's relentless demand.
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