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Top Sewing Threads Exports by Country

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Spools of sewing threads (courtesy of Pixabay.com)
Sewing threads spools
International sales for shipments of sewing threads totaled US$1.96 billion in 2023, decreasing in value by -4.9% since 5 years earlier in 2019 when the global total was $2.06 billion.

Year over year, worldwide export sales of sewing threads fell by -11.9% compared to $2.22 billion during 2022.

Breaking down that overall total, sewing threads from man-made filaments were worth $1.21 billion in 2023 compared to $626.2 million for sewing threads created from man-made staple fibers. Cotton sewing threads accounted for a smaller amount specifically $114.5 million in export sales during 2023.

Overall, the 5 biggest exporters of sewing threads are mainland China, Germany, United States of America, Romania and Türkiye. Combined, that quintet of leading international suppliers sold nearly two-thirds (65.9%) of globally exported sewing threads during 2023.

From a continental perspective, suppliers in Asia shipped almost three-fifths (59%) of overall exported sewing threads trailed by exporters in Europe at 28.5%. Smaller percentages came from North America (6.9%), Africa (3.4%), Latin America (2.2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.04%) led by Australia.

The four-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefixes are: 5204 for cotton sewing threads; 5401 for sewing threads from man-made filaments; and 5508 for sewing threads from man-made staple fibers.

Sewing Threads Exports: All materials

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest overall dollar value worth of sewing threads.

  1. mainland China: US$840.5 million (43% of all sewing thread exports)
  2. Germany: $213.5 million (10.9%)
  3. United States: $108.9 million (5.6%)
  4. Romania: $64.8 million (3.3%)
  5. Türkiye: $60.1 million (3.1%)
  6. Egypt: $52.7 million (2.7%)
  7. Italy: $47.7 million (2.4%)
  8. Vietnam: $46.9 million (2.4%)
  9. United Kingdom: $45.3 million (2.3%)
  10. Hong Kong: $44.9 million (2.3%)
  11. India: $32.1 million (1.6%)
  12. Netherlands: $29.2 million (1.5%)
  13. Czech Republic: $28.1 million (1.4%)
  14. Japan: $27.3 million (1.4%)
  15. South Korea: $27.1 million (1.4%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 85.4% of all sewing threads exported in 2023.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing sewing threads exporters over the 5-year period starting in 2019 were: Netherlands (up 79.6%), Romania (up 35.2%), United Kingdom (up 21.4%) and Vietnam (up 21.4%).

Listed countries that posted declines in their exported sewing threads sales were: Hong Kong (down -57.9% from 2019), South Korea (down -34%), Japan (down -29.1%), United States (down -21.1%) and Türkiye (down -3%).

Cotton Sewing Threads Exports

The value of exported sewing threads made from cotton reduced by -3.3% from $118.4 million in 2022 to $114.5 million one year later for 2023.

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of cotton sewing threads during 2023.

  1. mainland China: US$34.7 million (30.3% of cotton sewing threads exports)
  2. India: $11.9 million (10.4%)
  3. Italy: $9.1 million (7.9%)
  4. Vietnam: $6.6 million (5.8%)
  5. Pakistan: $5.1 million (4.5%)
  6. France: $4.3 million (3.8%)
  7. Türkiye: $4 million (3.5%)
  8. Germany: $3.7 million (3.2%)
  9. United States: $3.3 million (2.9%)
  10. Spain: $3 million (2.6%)
  11. Netherlands: $2.7 million (2.4%)
  12. Costa Rica: $2.17 million (1.9%)
  13. Thailand: $1.83 million (1.6%)
  14. Slovenia: $1.79 million (1.6%)
  15. Czech Republic: $1.61 million (1.4%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 83.7% of globally exported cotton sewing threads in 2023.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of cotton sewing threads since 2022 were: Vietnam (up 3,763%), France (up 65.7%), Netherlands (up 47.5%) and Türkiye (up 25.1%).

Listed countries that posted declines in their exported cotton sewing threads sales were led by: Pakistan (down -41% from 2019), Slovenia (down -29%), Thailand (down -27.3%), India (down -23.9%) and Costa Rica (down -20.9%).

Man-made Filaments Sewing Threads Exports

The value of exported sewing threads consisting of man-made filaments retreated by -8.7% compared to $1.33 billion in 2022 falling to $1.21 billion during 2023.

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of sewing threads from man-made filaments during 2023.

  1. mainland China: US$410.1 million (33.8% of man-made filament sewing threads exports)
  2. Germany: $193.1 million (15.9%)
  3. United States: $93.1 million (7.7%)
  4. Romania: $56 million (4.6%)
  5. United Kingdom: $40.8 million (3.4%)
  6. Türkiye: $36.3 million (3%)
  7. Italy: $34.2 million (2.81%)
  8. Egypt: $31 million (2.55%)
  9. Vietnam: $28.4 million (2.33%)
  10. Hong Kong: $25.6 million (2.1%)
  11. Czech Republic: $23.7 million (2%)
  12. Japan: $22 million (1.8%)
  13. Mexico: $20.6 million (1.70%)
  14. South Korea: $16.7 million (1.38%)
  15. Netherlands: $16 million (1.32%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 86.2% of globally exported man-made filament sewing threads in 2023.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of man-made filament sewing threads since 2022 were: Netherlands (up 82.7%), Mexico (up 48.7%), Türkiye (up 13.4%) and Romania (up 7.6%).

Listed countries that posted declines in their exported man-made filament sewing threads sales were led by: Hong Kong (down -34.6% from 2019), Vietnam (down -32.5%), South Korea (down -22.2%), United States of America (down -11.9%) and Egypt (down -8.5%).

Man-made Staple Fibers Sewing Threads Exports

The value of exported sewing threads consisting of man-made staple fibers shrank via a -18.6% downturn from $769.5 million in 2022 to $626.2 million during 2023.

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of sewing threads from man-made staple fibers during 2023.

  1. mainland China: US$395.8 million (63.2% of man-made staple fiber sewing threads exports)
  2. Egypt: $20.5 million (3.3%)
  3. Türkiye: $19.8 million (3.2%)
  4. Hong Kong: $18.4 million (2.9%)
  5. Germany: $16.6 million (2.7%)
  6. France: $12.6 million (2%)
  7. United States: $12.6 million (2%)
  8. Vietnam: $11.9 million (1.9%)
  9. Netherlands: $10.5 million (1.7%)
  10. South Korea: $10.1 million (1.6%)
  11. Romania: $7.6 million (1.2%)
  12. Israel: $7.3 million (1.2%)
  13. Indonesia: $5.8 million (0.9%)
  14. Sri Lanka: $4.9 million (0.8%)
  15. India: $4.9 million (0.8%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 89.3% of globally exported man-made staple fiber sewing threads in 2023.

Among the above countries, the growth exporters of man-made staple fiber sewing threads since 2022 were: Romania (up 94.4%), Vietnam (up 8.2%), Germany (up 5.6%) and Türkiye (up 3.9%).

Listed countries that posted declines in their exported man-made staple fiber sewing threads sales were led by: Indonesia (down -41.3% from 2019), Netherlands (down -37%), Israel (down -35%), Hong Kong (down -34.6%) and Sri Lanka (down -32.6%).
 

See also Top Exported Baby Clothing Sales, T-shirt Exports by Country and Leather Shoes Exports by Country

Research Sources:
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on November 30, 2024

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on November 30, 2024

The World Factbook, Field Listing: Exports – Commodities, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on November 30, 2024

Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on November 30, 2024

Wikipedia, Thread (Yarn). Accessed on November 30, 2024