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WASHINGTON — A flagging U.S. economy and precipitous decline in consumer demand triggered the largest decline in June of apparel and textile imports from China in seven and a half years. 

U.S. textile and apparel imports from the entire world also fell in June, marking the fourth consecutive month of declines, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. 

The combined drop in imports from China, which fell 11.8 percent to 229 million square meters equivalent in June compared to a year ago, was the largest decline from the world’s largest apparel supplier since February 2001, when textile and apparel imports to the U.S. fell 20.8 percent, according to the Office of Textiles and Apparel, a division of Commerce. 

Overall, the combined volume of apparel and textile imports to the U.S. fell 10 percent in June compared with a year ago, following a 6 percent decline in May, a 0.6 percent drop in April and an 11.4 percent decrease in March. Imports fell by 475 million square meter equivalents in June to 4.25 billion SME. 

“Among a variety of imported consumer goods, apparel was one among many down sharply this month,” said Nigel Gault, chief U.S. economist at Global Insight. 

Imported televisions, VCRs and household goods were also down sharply in June, Gault said. 
“I think it’s an indication that the expectations on the part of retailers for what consumers are going to spend is pretty subdued,” said Gault. “Imports are responding to what the retailers anticipate they are going to be able to sell.” 

“Clearly, consumers have plenty of room to not buy the latest fashions or to make do with last year’s clothes a little while longer,” he said. 

Gault said he expects to see apparel and textile imports continue to slide for at least the next few months based on anecdotal evidence from retailers about the back-to-school season, which he said indicates more “softness.” 

Charles McMillion, president and chief economist of MBG Information Services, said domestic textile producers have also pulled back on imports of raw materials as reflected in the import numbers. 

“Demand is very, very weak and so it is having an impact on both our own domestic production as well as on imports and of course on prices in the textile industry,” said McMillion. “Textile production has been going down for some time at a time when imports were rising. Production is still going down and now imports are starting to slacken and that is reflection of a weak market.” 

Several other countries had significant apparel and textile import declines in June, including Pakistan, which fell 21.7 percent to 229 million SME; Canada, down 31.6 percent to 115 million SME; and Mexico, down 17.1 percent to 231 million SME. 

The significant gains in apparel and textile imports came from just two countries—Honduras and Vietnam. Imports from Honduras soared 22.6 percent to 137 million SME, while imports from Vietnam continued a trend of increases, rising 14.3 percent to 147 million SME. 

The top five apparel suppliers in the past 12 months were once again: China, Vietnam Bangladesh, Honduras and Mexico. China also topped the textile import list, followed by Pakistan, India, Mexico and South Korea.