Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling in Canada - Market Research Report (2014-2029)
New York, United States
Last Updated: April 2024
NAICS 41411CARevenue
$16.1bn
Past 5-Year Growth
Profit
$XXX.Xm
Employees
31,560
Businesses
3,182
Wages
$X.Xbn
Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling in Canada industry analysis
The Canadian Clothing and Clothing Accessories Wholesaling industry has recently gone through a tough phase. A surge of direct-to-consumer brands, a shifting retail landscape and an atmosphere of economic uncertainty have marked a period of diminished industry revenue, influencing wholesalers to pursue innovative survival strategies. For instance, they have begun focusing on digitalization and exploring social media marketing. Industry revenue has dipped at a CAGR of 1.1% over the past five years and is projected to total $16.1 billion in 2024 when revenue will jump by an estimated 1.7%.
Trends and Insights
- Fast fashion demands quick inventory turnover. Wholesalers adapt by using advanced forecasting tools, nurturing relationships with manufacturers and adjusting to changing exchange rates to maintain operational efficiency and manage costs.
- Women's and girls' clothing dominates wholesale distribution revenue. This product segment contributes to nearly two-thirds of the total income, outpacing the men's and boys' clothing wholesale segment by more than three times.
- Ontario accounts for the largest share of industry wholesalers. The province enables companies to locate near major markets and offers access to trade routes to the United States.
- Wholesalers have faced heavy competition from direct, low-cost overseas manufacturers. In fact, wholesalers are being phased out in favour of online and direct-to-consumer sales.
Industry Overview
Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 1.1 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $16.1bn in 2024.
Trends and Insights
Online retail growth has impacted Canadian clothing and clothing accessories wholesalers
- The emergence and growth of online retail have significantly impacted the Clothing and clothing Accessories Wholesaling industry in Canada in recent years. Consumers now have access to a wide range of products from global brands, which they can buy at competitive prices and have delivered to their doorsteps.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2024-2029)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Stable economic growth will translate to wholesale demand
- The steady improvement of the economic environment will benefit wholesalers. Consumers will spend more, lifting demand from department stores and demand from warehouse clubs and supercentres. However, some segments will fare better than others.
Biggest companies in the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling in Canada
| Company | Market Share (%)
2024 | Revenue ($m)
2024 | Profit ($m)
2024 | Profit Margin (%)
2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Alphabroder | 583.3 | N/A | N/A | |
Caulfeild Apparel Group Ltd. | 13.0 | N/A | N/A | |
Midway Fashion Accessories | 13.0 | N/A | N/A |
To view the market share and analysis for all 3 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Men's and boys' clothing wholesaling, Women's and girls' clothing wholesaling and Children's and infants' clothing wholesaling. Men's and boys' clothing wholesaling is the largest segment of the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling in Canada.
Trends and Insights
Women's and girls' clothing wholesaling accounts for the lion's share of revenue
- Women's and girls' clothing spans a diverse range of items, covering various styles and functions. These garments are designed to suit different age groups and include women's outerwear, underwear and formal and casual wear.
- More insights available in the full report
Widen you competitive advantage with related industries
Competitors
- Jewellery & Watch Wholesaling in Canada
Complementors
- Automobile Wholesaling in Canada
- Furniture & Furnishings Wholesaling in Canada
- Office Stationery Wholesaling in Canada
- Footwear Wholesaling in Canada
International industries
- Men's & Boys' Apparel Wholesaling in the US
- Women's & Children's Apparel Wholesaling in the US
- Clothing Wholesaling in Australia
- Clothing and Footwear Wholesaling in New Zealand
- Clothing & Footwear Wholesaling in the UK
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Companies in this industry purchase men's, women's and children's clothing and clothing accessories from apparel manufacturers and sell them to retailers, generally with minimal or no further product development. Most wholesalers in this industry also undertake sales and administrative activities like establishing relationships with manufacturers and retailers, marketing and advertising their products and storing and transporting stock.
What's included in this industry?
Wholesaling men's apparelWholesaling women's apparelWholesaling children's apparelWholesaling clothing accessories for men, women and childrenCompanies
AlphabroderCaulfeild Apparel Group Ltd.Midway Fashion AccessoriesPurchase this report to view all 3 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
TWEENSWHOLESALE BYPASSRELATIVE PRICESIndustry Code
NAICS 414110 - Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling in Canada
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Fast fashion demands quick inventory turnover. Wholesalers adapt by using advanced forecasting tools, nurturing relationships with manufacturers and adjusting to changing exc...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Women's and girls' clothing dominates wholesale distribution revenue. This product segment contributes to nearly two-thirds of the total income, outpacing the men's and boys'...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2024
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2024
- Major market segmentation in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
Ontario accounts for the largest share of industry wholesalers. The province enables companies to locate near major markets and offers access to trade routes to the United St...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each province
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each province in 2024
- Number and share of revenue each province accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of wages each province accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of employees in each province in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Wholesalers have faced heavy competition from direct, low-cost overseas manufacturers. In fact, wholesalers are being phased out in favour of online and direct-to-consumer sa...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
The industry is highly fragmented because clothing is interchangeable. The substitutability of products makes price competition step for distributors, limiting companies’ abi...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
- Overview of Alphabroder's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of Caulfeild Apparel Group Ltd.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of Midway Fashion Accessories's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Alphabroder, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Caulfeild Apparel Group Ltd., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Midway Fashion Accessories, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Clothing wholesaling is lightly regulated in Canada. Despite this, companies must adhere to certain regulations, which encompass aspects like appropriate labelling rules and ...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Clothing wholesaler's profits are minimal. This is largely because these companies transition products through the supply chain, adding very little additional value.
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
- Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
- Leverage Ratios (2017-2022)
- Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
- Assets (2017-2022)
- Liabilities (2017-2022)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
- Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Average Wage (2014-2029)
- Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
- Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2014-2029)
- IVA (2014-2029)
- Establishments (2014-2029)
- Enterprises (2014-2029)
- Employment (2014-2029)
- Exports (2014-2029)
- Imports (2014-2029)
- Wages (2014-2029)
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in Canada include:
- Statistics Canada
- Industry Canada
- Canadian Business Patterns
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling industry in Canada in 2024?
The market size of the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling industry in Canada is $16.1bn in 2024.
How many businesses are there in the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling in Canada industry in 2024?
There are 3,182 businesses in the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling industry in Canada, which has declined at a CAGR of 1.5 % between 2019 and 2024.
Has the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling industry in Canada grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling industry in Canada has been declining at a CAGR of 1.1 % between 2019 and 2024.
What is the forecast growth of the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling industry in Canada over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling industry in Canada is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling market in Canada?
The biggest companies operating in the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling market in Canada are Alphabroder, Caulfeild Apparel Group Ltd. and Midway Fashion Accessories
What does the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling in Canada include?
Wholesaling men's apparel and Wholesaling women's apparel are part of the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling industry.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling in Canada?
The company holding the most market share in Canada is Alphabroder.
How competitive is the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling industry in Canada?
The level of competition is high and steady in the Clothing & Clothing Accessories Wholesaling industry in Canada.
