The United States textile and apparel industry faced significant challenges during the first four months of 2026. According to the latest data from the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), the country recorded a 10.68 percent year-on-year decline in the import volume of textiles and apparel across all fiber types for the period of January through April 2026. Total imports amounted to 29,391.918 million square metre equivalents (SME), a notable decrease from the 32,904.527 million SME recorded during the same period in 2025.

This contraction was widespread across key segments. Apparel imports fell by 12.82 percent to 7,320.784 million SME, while non-apparel textile imports also saw a decline of 9.94 percent, dropping to 22,071.134 million SME. When categorized by fiber type, cotton product imports decreased by 13.19 percent to 5,091.682 million SME, and man-made fiber (MMF) product imports fell to 23,500.584 million SME from 26,188.887 million SME in the previous year.

Export performance for the United States in this sector also showed signs of weakening. Total exports of textiles and apparel made from all fiber types declined by 7.72 percent to 663.739 million kilograms during the review period, compared to 719.257 million kilograms in the first four months of 2025. While apparel exports managed to grow by 9.51 percent to reach 251.208 million kilograms, other segments struggled significantly. Fabric exports dropped by 15.91 percent to 195.811 million kilograms, and yarn exports experienced the sharpest decline, falling by 19.05 percent to 228.661 million kilograms.

The current trade data for early 2026 follows a broader trend of slowdowns that characterized the year 2025, which saw total imports contract by 5 percent to 101,256.313 million SME. This ongoing volatility highlights the instability of market demand, which had previously seen a strong 15.23 percent rebound in 2024 following a 12.28 percent decline in 2023. The consistent contraction in both import and export volumes underscores the persistent challenges facing the US textile industry's supply chain dynamics amidst fluctuating global economic conditions.