Retail sales of apparel and footwear in China by month 2024-2025

In March 2025, the retail trade revenue of clothing, shoes, hats, and knitwear in China amounted to around 124.05 billion yuan. This represented a slight decrease compared to the revenue generated in the same period of the previous year. 

Textile and apparel industry in China

The textile industry in China has seen a rapid growth over the past two decades and has become one of the main pillars of China’s economy. Throughout 2024, the monthly textile production in China ranged around 2.27 billion meters. China was also the world's largest textile exporter. In 2024, clothing and clothing accessories with a total value of over 1.13 trillion yuan were exported from China, not considering the export of textile articles and textile yarns with a value of over one million yuan. ANTA Sports Products, the leading textile and clothing manufacturer in China, reported total revenues of about 53.65 billion yuan in 2023. 

Nonetheless, the textile industry in China is facing a major transition period. The loss of competitive advantages such as low labor costs and a favorable exchange rate leads to a shift in the market focus. While basic textile production is outsourced to regions with lower costs, China focuses more on specialized textile and fiber products. In terms of target markets, the domestic textile market in China has been gaining importance compared to international markets as well. In 2024, China’s apparel market recorded a sales value of over one trillion yuan.