China Textile and Apparel Exports Post Fastest Monthly Growth of 2026 in July as Garment Shipments Lead the Rebound
Date: August 11, 2026 | Beijing, China
China’s textile and apparel exports reached $28.79 billion in July 2026, up 7.6% year on year — the fastest single-month growth so far this year, according to customs data released on August 7 by the General Administration of Customs and circulated by the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles. Garment shipments led the rebound, jumping 8.5% to $16.45 billion, while cumulative January-July exports expanded to $174.75 billion, up 2.4% with the growth rate widening for a third consecutive reporting period.
Key Highlights:
- Fastest monthly growth of 2026: July textile and apparel exports totaled $28.79 billion, up 7.6% year on year — the highest single-month growth so far this year; garments hit $16.45 billion (+8.5% YoY, +4.4% MoM) while textiles reached $12.35 billion (+6.4% YoY, -8.7% MoM).
- Cumulative growth accelerates again: January-July exports reached $174.75 billion, +2.4% YoY, a 1.0 percentage-point increase from the +1.4% recorded in H1; garment cumulative growth turned positive at +0.9% after sitting at -0.7% in H1, while textiles rose 3.9%.
- Restocking and autumn-winter orders drive demand: International brand inventory levels have returned to normal and overseas restocking demand is being released; exports to the United States grew 12.5% in H1 and remained a key incremental source of growth, while the European Union stayed roughly flat and ASEAN, Japan and Korea softened.
- Q3 outlook — peak delivery window: The third quarter is set to enter the peak delivery window for overseas autumn and winter orders, and analysts expect consumer-goods exports to keep growing, though global trade policy adjustments, geopolitical risk and currency volatility remain headwinds.
Industry Context:
China’s textile and apparel industry has continued to show resilience despite a complex global trade environment. The July rebound underscores how overseas brand restocking and the early ramp of autumn/winter procurement have reinforced finished-apparel demand. Labor-intensive exports more broadly are in a phased recovery: clothing rose 8.5%, footwear +2.7%, bags +7.3% in July. Yet the industry also faces continued structural pressure from low-end order migration, raw-material cost volatility and ongoing US and EU regulatory and tariff adjustments.
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