Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 2.7 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $507.9bn in 2025.
Trends and Insights
Global apparel manufacturing strengthens nearshore strategies to enhance efficiency and regional supply resilience
- Global apparel production undergoes rapid restructuring as brands prioritize reshoring across Europe to mitigate supply chain disruptions. Spain’s Inditex, Sweden’s H&M and others are expanding their manufacturing operations in Turkey, Romania and Poland, thereby reducing shipping times to core markets while aligning with consumer demand for faster fashion cycles and improved production flexibility, which is integrated into digital logistics systems.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2025-2030)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Digital sales expansion will redefine global apparel manufacturing growth and competitive dynamics
- Global apparel manufacturers will increasingly rely on mobile-driven e-commerce in emerging markets, where smartphone adoption and mobile payments create new avenues for consumer access. Platforms such as Shopee, Jumia and Flipkart will help brands bypass costly retail networks, enabling seamless transactions and allowing producers to profit from rising rural consumption without heavy infrastructure investment.
Biggest companies in the Global Apparel Manufacturing
| Company | Market Share (%)
2025 | Revenue ($m)
2025 | Profit ($m)
2025 | Profit Margin (%)
2025 |
|---|
There are no companies that hold a market share exceeding 5% in the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Women's apparel, Men's apparel and Children's apparel. Women's apparel is the largest segment of the Global Apparel Manufacturing.
Trends and Insights
Women's apparel drives global fashion through variety, innovation, digital marketing and performance textiles
- Women's apparel encompasses an extensive range of product categories, including dresses, suits, blouses, skirts, pants, activewear, outerwear, undergarments, sleepwear and accessories that collectively represent the industry's largest segment. Major manufacturers in China, Bangladesh, and Vietnam dedicate the majority of their production capacity to women's categories, with specialized facilities that focus exclusively on complex women's garments, which require intricate construction techniques and diverse sizing specifications.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Global apparel manufacturers design, produce and distribute clothing and related accessories on an international scale. They operate large-scale production facilities and frequently source raw materials from multiple countries to create a diverse range of products, including casual wear, formal wear, sportswear and specialized clothing.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry include Manufacturing men's clothing, Manufacturing women's clothing, Manufacturing children's and infants' clothing and Manufacturing accessories.Companies
Companies covered in the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry include .Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry include offshore, outsource and vertical integration.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
Manufacturers face heightened instability because of raw material costs. The unpredictability of synthetic fiber prices, tied to fluctuating crude oil costs, forces apparel p...
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 (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
- 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
Tariffs could disrupt global trade and impact major exporters. Key exporters like China and Vietnam could face severe challenges because of high tariffs, pressuring brands to...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
- International Trade
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2025
- Product innovation level
- Total imports, level and trend
- Total exports, level and trend
- Trade Balance
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2025
- Major market segmentation in 2025
- International trade, including imports by country and exports by country
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
- Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends
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
Disruptions challenge China’s position as the world's leading apparel manufacturer. While a trade war, stringent policies and geopolitical tensions have taken some production...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Business Locations Charts
- Share of global output by region in 2025
- Share of population compared to output in each region in 2025
- Data tables
- Share of global output by region in 2025
- Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Global, 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
Intense rivalry marks the landscape for apparel manufacturers worldwide. A diverse mix of small manufacturers and leading producers vie for sales in an increasingly connected...
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 2020-2025
- 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
There are no companies that hold a market share exceeding 5% in the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry.
Analyst insights
The scope of apparel production limits any company's ability to control the industry. Thousands of clothing manufacturers exist to meet the enormous global demand for apparel...
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Apparel manufacturers are subject to many different regulations. These laws relate to product safety, labeling and advertising, environmental protection and occupational heal...
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 (2015-2030)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
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
E-commerce supports profit stability in global apparel manufacturing. By adopting direct-to-consumer models, manufacturers reduce their dependency on wholesale channels, cutt...
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 2025
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
- Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Average Wage (2015-2030)
- Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
- Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
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 (2015-2030)
- IVA (2015-2030)
- Establishments (2015-2030)
- Enterprises (2015-2030)
- Employment (2015-2030)
- Exports (2015-2030)
- Imports (2015-2030)
- Wages (2015-2030)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry in 2025?
The market size of the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry is $507.9bn in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry in 2025?
There are 459k businesses in the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.1 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry?
The Global Apparel Manufacturing industry is likely to be significantly impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a high share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry?
The Global Apparel Manufacturing industry is likely to be significantly impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a high share of industry revenue.
Has the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry has been declining at a CAGR of 2.7 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry is expected to grow.
What does the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry include?
Manufacturing men's clothing and Manufacturing women's clothing are part of the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry.
How competitive is the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Global Apparel Manufacturing industry.
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 globally include:
- United Nations Comtrade
- Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development
- World Bank
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.
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