Global Denim Fabric Exports 2010-17 | Share Of Cotton Vs Man Made Denim

For over 100 years since its invention , denim has been produced, used and had an identity as a 100% Cotton product. It was the essential character of the fabric. However, over last more than 2 decades and specially in last 7-8 years, the basic character of this product has undergone fundamental change. Spandex , Polyesters and many other fibers have made deep inroot in this product . Inspite of spandex being used in denim for a long time, denim was still about 95-95% cotton. However, once other fibers started integrating in this industry , the scene started to change. Globally there are two categories of denim – one with more than 85% of cotton and the other will less than 85% of cotton. The first category was more than 90% even till a decade back. But things have changed and the second category with less than 85% cotton has started to become bigger and bigger.
In this article, we analyse what is the total Export of denim fabric globally. We then divide this trade in the above two mentioned categories and see how the less cotton category is growing. Then we check the exports of major countries who are exporting denim fabrics and % share of their exports in the above two categories. These countries include  China, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Turkey, India , Italy and Japan. The segmentation of the data in 2017 is made with representations as per market share and export in one million US dollars by particular country in  2017. Also a comparative analysis is being done in this report to compare the export in both the categories across various countries.

Table Of Contents

1. 7 Graphs Showing the export by top countries viz. China, Pakistan , Hong Kong , Turkey , Inida , Italy and Japan for both the categories.

2.Graph Showing the list of countries exporting Cloth with a cotton content higher than 85% or more over the period of last 5 years

3.Graph Showing the list of countries exporting Cloth with Fabric with a cotton content of less than 85% over the period of last 5 years

4.Pie Chart showing the Market Share Of All Countries exporting Cloth with a cotton content higher than 85% or more in 2017

5.Pie Chart Showing the Market Share Of All Countries exporting Cloth with a Fabric with a cotton content of less than 85%in 2017

6.Line Graph shwoing the Combined Commodity Export Analysis for the Year 2017 Across Various Countries

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Global Denim Exports

COUNTRY	Denim with Cotton > 85%  by weight	Denim with Cotton < 85% by weightÂ	2017
China Mainland	516	1,339	1,855
Pakistan	482	50	532
Hong Kong	220	173	393
Turkey	282	85	367
India	241	108	349
Italy	145	17	162
Japan	87	15	102
Others	575	101	676
Total	2,548	1,888	4,436

As we can see in the above table, the total exports of denim fabrics in 2017 was about USD 4.43 billion. Out of this , the important exporting countries ie China, Pakistan, HK, Turkey, India, Italy, Japan etc have about 85% share of exports while other countries have about 15% share. Out of the total exports of denim fabrics, we find that >85% cotton denim is about 57% while the <85% cotton category is about 43%  . This may not look big, but when we compare with the year 2010 we find that this share was less than 30% .

Now we look at individual exports of each country and their share in the two categories .

CHINA 2010-2017  (figures in US$ million)

CATEGORY/YEAR	2010	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	% EXPORT 2017
Denim with Cotton > 85%  by weight	842.9	666.9	577.7	518.4	499.6	516	27.82
Denim with Cotton < 85% by weightÂ	451.9	886.6	1,064.90	1,188.20	1,258.60	1,339.00	72.18
Total	1,294.80	1,553.50	1,642.60	1,706.60	1,758.20	1,855.00	100

China’s exports in 2010 show that the cotton rich denim fabrics 65% of their exports. However, in 2017, the share of Cotton rich fabrics falls down to 27% . China is the main country where such a huge increase in less cotton denim fabrics growth has taken place.

PAKISTAN  2010-2017  (figures in US$ million)

CATEGORY/YEAR	2010	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	% EXPORT 2017
Denim with Cotton > 85%  by weight	263.4	495.9	445.7	447.2	461.8	482	90.6
Denim with Cotton < 85% by weightÂ	71.6	51.5	91.7	65	28.8	50	9.39
Total	335	547.5	537.4	512.2	490.7	532	100

Pakistan has always been a country rich in cotton and its exports show that still it is cotton rich exporter without much change from the year 2010 .

HONG KONG 2010-2017  (figures in US$ million)

CATEGORY/YEAR	2010	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	% EXPORT 2017
Denim with Cotton > 85%  by weight	614.1	457.7	334.4	274.5	243.7	220	55.98
Denim with Cotton < 85% by weightÂ	138.6	243.2	314.5	238.2	206.7	173	44.02
Total	752.7	700.9	548.9	512.7	450.5	393	100

Hong Kong is also a bigger exporter of Cotton rich fabrics with a share of 55% of its total exports. However, its share of less cotton denim exports has been increasing over the last few years from about 18% in 2010 to 44% in 2017.

TURKEY 2010-2017  (figures in US$ million)

CATEGORY/YEAR	2010	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	% EXPORT 2017
Denim with Cotton > 85%  by weight	313.9	323.2	308.8	259	275.9	282	76.84
Denim with Cotton < 85% by weightÂ	75.2	112.4	116.7	119.3	117.9	85	23.16
Total	389.1	435.5	425.6	378.3	393.8	367	100

Turkey exported about 20% of its fabrics with less cotton in 2010 and in 2017, this % was about 23. Not much of a difference !

INDIA 2010-2017 (figures in US$ million)

CATEGORY/YEAR	2010	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	% EXPORT 2017
Denim with Cotton > 85%  by weight	152	280.7	275.1	236	222.6	241	69.05
Denim with Cotton < 85% by weightÂ	14.1	48.7	74.3	83.1	88	108	30.95
Total	166.1	329.4	349.3	319	310.6	349	100

India exported about USD 166 million of denim fabrics in 2010. This export had about 10% exports in less cotton denims. But when we look to 2017, we find that India’s share of less cotton exports jumped to 31% . This shows that though India is the second largest cotton producer globally, the production and exports of less cotton denim has been increasing over the years much faster than cotton rich denims .

ITALY 2010-2017 (figures in US$ million)

CATEGORY/YEAR	2010	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	% EXPORT 2017
Denim with Cotton > 85%  by weight	283.5	228.3	209.1	149.4	140.2	145	89.51
Denim with Cotton < 85% by weightÂ	19.3	26.7	27.9	24.3	18.4	17	10.49
Total	302.7	255.1	236.9	173.7	158.6	162	100

Italy is a fashion center and cotton is loved in this country whereas man made fibers , specially in denim, are not too much liked. This shows in their figures as hardly 10% of their exports goes into less cotton category and rest goes in the cotton rich category.

JAPAN 2010-2017 (figures in US$ million)

CATEGORY/YEAR	2010	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	% EXPORT 2017
Denim with Cotton > 85%  by weight	119.7	96.7	110.7	93.4	80.9	87	85.29
Denim with Cotton < 85% by weightÂ	20.4	62.6	28.2	43.1	34.6	15	14.71
Total	140.1	159.3	138.9	136.6	115.6	102	100

Japan has seen fluctuation in exports – though cotton rich products have dominated the scene. However, less cotton denims went to a low of 18% in 2017 against about 40% in 2013.  On the whole cotton rich fabrics still dominate.

Cotton Rich Denim Exports  (figures in US$ million)

COUNTRY/YEAR	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017
China Mainland	666.9	577.7	518.4	499.6	516
Pakistan	495.9	445.7	447.2	461.8	482
Hong Kong	457.7	334.4	274.5	243.7	220
Turkey	323.2	308.8	259	275.9	282
India	280.7	275.1	236	222.6	241
Italy	228.3	209.1	149.4	140.2	145
Japan	96.7	110.7	93.4	80.9	87
Others	844.2	794.5	776.3	646.8	575
Total	3,393.6	3,056	2,754.2	2,571.5	2,548

Market Share in 2017

COUNTRY	2017	Market Share %
China Mainland	516	20.25
Pakistan	482	18.92
Hong Kong	220	8.63
Turkey	282	11.07
India	241	9.46
Italy	145	5.69
Japan	87	3.41
Others	575	22.57
Total	2,548	100

The share of denim fabric exports in cotton rich category shows that there is a much evenly distributed export share among different countries . No one country is dominating and Pakistan is almost equal to China exports. Hong  Kong, Turkey and India stands at almost similar levels.

Less Cotton Denim Fabrics Exporters

COUNTRY/YEAR	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017
China Mainland	886.6	1,064.90	1,188.20	1,258.60	1,339.00
Pakistan	51.5	91.7	65	28.8	50
Hong Kong	243.2	214.5	238.2	206.7	173
Turkey	112.4	116.7	119.3	117.9	85
India	48.7	74.3	83.1	88	108
Italy	26.7	27.9	24.3	18.4	17
Japan	62.6	28.2	43.1	34.6	15
Others	119.8	113	100.2	100.5	115
Total	1,551.5	1,731.2	1,861.4	1,853.5	1,888

Market Share in 2017

COUNTRY	2017	Market Share %
China Mainland	1,339	70.92
Pakistan	50	2.65
Hong Kong	173	9.16
Turkey	85	4.5
India	108	5.72
Italy	17	0.9
Japan	15	0.79
Others	101	5.36
Total	1,888	100

The situation totally changes when we come to less cotton denim fabrics . China completely dominates this segment with over 70% share of the global market. This shows how strong China is in man made fiber rich denim exports. Its share has been increasing over the years to and in last 5 years has increased over 60 % !  The other major country to increase exports in this segment is only INDIA. India has more than doubled its exports of less cotton denims since 2013 . We can understand from this report that it is mainly China and India who are driving the growth of less cotton denim fabrics . Of course we cannot really say if these are the only two countries who are producing less cotton denims in a big way as some others like Bangladesh , Turkey, Brazil, Pakistan etc consume their own fabrics either for local consumption or export of jeans.

 

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