The briefing ‘EU trade in textiles: Import and export flows’, authored by Dr Toni Sharma and published by the European Parliament’s Directorate-General for External Policies examines EU trade in textiles and clothing between 2014 and 2023. It covers imports of new textile and clothing products and exports of used textiles, examining trade patterns, environmental and labour-related challenges, compliance pressures and related trade-policy responses.  

Key takeaways  

• The EU remains a net importer of textiles and clothing. Imports remained consistently higher than exports between 2014 and 2023, although the trade deficit narrowed somewhat as exports increased over the period.  
• Finished garments dominate EU textile imports. In 2023, finished garments accounted for nearly three-quarters of total import value, reflecting the EU’s dependence on external suppliers for labour-intensive clothing production.
• China, Bangladesh, Türkiye, Vietnam and India are the main suppliers. The briefing identifies these countries as the leading suppliers of EU textile and clothing imports, while noting a shift in clothing sourcing between 2014 and 2023, including a decline in China’s share and a rise in Bangladesh’s share.  
• Used textile exports are significant in volume terms. EU exports of used textiles reached approximately 1.37 million tonnes in 2023. While these exports represented around 1% of the €115 billion in extra-EU textile exports by value, their significance was considerably greater in volume terms.
• Used textile exports mainly flow to Africa and Asia. These destinations are identified as regions where reuse, sorting and recycling activities are most developed.
• The briefing highlights transparency and quality concerns around used textile exports. It examines whether textiles exported as reusable consistently meet quality thresholds and whether existing frameworks provide sufficient transparency about what happens to them after export. 
• EU sustainability requirements are creating compliance pressures across textile value chains. The briefing considers the implications of due-diligence legislation and other trade-policy instruments, including their indirect effects on smaller firms in supplier countries.  

The briefing examines the interaction between EU textile trade, sustainability objectives and trade policy, highlighting the importance of transparency in used textile exports, labour and sustainability standards across value chains, and trade instruments and partnerships that support more sustainable and equitable production conditions.  

To read further, please visit European Union Publication website.