EXPORTS, IMPORTS, and TRADE BALANCE

KEY TRENDS

• U.S. imports of apparel increased in 2004, reflecting a continued trend by retailers and apparel companies increasingly to source from lower-cost offshore providers and the growth in the U.S. economy, which boosted consumer confidence and disposable income.
  
  
• China is the largest foreign supplier of textiles, apparel, and footwear, accounting for 20 percent of U.S. textile and apparel imports and 69 percent of U.S. footwear imports in 2004 by value. U.S. imports of textiles and apparel from China rose significantly in 2004, particularly in articles for which it became eligible for quota elimination in 2002.
  
  
• U.S. exports of textiles and apparel rose for the first time in 3 years, reflecting slightly larger shipments to the major foreign markets for the U.S. textile and apparel sector, namely NAFTA signatories Canada and Mexico and the beneficiary countries under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act.
  
  
• Consumer spending on footwear rose in 2004 by 7 percent, and the average price of U.S. footwear continued to fall as lower-price casual shoes contributed to ongoing price deflation.

TRADE SHIFTS in 2004 from 2003

Textiles and apparel:

• U.S. trade deficit: Increased $6.2 billion (9 percent) to $76.4 billion
• U.S. exports: Increased $0.6 billion (4 percent) to $17.7 billion
• U.S. imports: Increased $6.8 billion (8 percent) to $94.0 billion
  
  

Footwear:

• U.S. trade deficit: Increased $1.0 billion (7 percent) to $16.0 billion
• U.S. exports: Decreased $0.05 billion (9 percent) to $0.5 billion
• U.S. imports: Increased $0.9 billion (6 percent) to $16.5 billion

LINKS

USITC PUBLICATIONS

332 Investigations

• Commercial Availability of Apparel Inputs (2004): Effect of Providing Preferential Treatment to Apparel from Sub-Saharan Africa, Caribbean Basin, and Andean Countries
• U.S. Trade and Investment with Sub-Saharan Africa

OTHER GOVERNMENT RESOURCES
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection

• Textiles and Quotas

U.S. Department of Commerce

• Office of Textiles and Apparel
  

Europa, European Commission, Trade in Industrial Goods

• Textiles

SECTOR SHIFTS

| Agricultural Products | Forest Products | Chemicals and Related Products |
| Energy and Related Products | Textiles, Apparel, and Footwear |
| Minerals and Metals | Machinery | Transportation Equipment |
| Electronic Products | Miscellaneous Manufactures |

COUNTRY SHIFTS