Apparel Export Competitiveness of Five Major Sources to be Examined

The International Trade Commission has launched an investigation into the export competitiveness of the apparel industries in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, and Pakistan. 

As requested by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in December 2023, the ITC’s concluding report in this investigation will provide the following.

– a comparison of the relative U.S. market shares held by these countries currently (up to and including calendar year 2023 if available) as well as five and ten years ago (2018 and 2023)

– an analysis of changing patterns in market shares and trade for these countries, including against other top suppliers, noting any significant shifts

– country-specific profiles of the apparel industries in these countries, including information on investment, vertical integration, duty-free access to the U.S. market, wages and labor productivity, and sourcing of inputs

– an assessment of the export competitiveness of each country in the U.S. market considering major factors such as trade, industry structure, price and costs, product differentiation, and reliability

– a review of general literature on the key determinants driving export competitiveness in the global apparel industry

The ITC will hold a public hearing in connection with this investigation March 7. Requests to appear at the hearing are due no later than Feb. 21, pre-hearing briefs and statements are due no later than Feb. 23, and post-hearing briefs, statements, and all other written submissions for the record are due no later than March 22. The ITC expects to submit its report to USTR by Aug. 30.

For more information on this and other trade-related issues affecting textiles and apparel, please contact ST&R’s textile and apparel practice leader Elise Shibles at (415) 490-1403 or via email.