Top Exported Hats by Country

January 13, 2019 by

Fashion hat (courtesy of Pixabay.com)

Fashion hat (Pixabay)

Worldwide sales for exported hats and similar headgear totaled US$9.1 billion during 2017. That dollar amount reflects a 16.6% increase since 2013 and a 6.1% uptick from 2016 to 2017.

As a head covering, hats are worn for diverse reasons. These encompass protection against the weather, religious purposes, ceremonial celebrations such as graduation, safety and as fashion accessories.

Nearly three-fifths (57.9%) of globally exported hats in 2017 were knitted or crocheted headgear or made from lace, felt or other textile fabric. Another 37.7% Miscellaneous hats account for international sales of safety headgear (30.2%), bathing caps (2%) and the catchall subcategory (5.5%). Other headgear constructed by assembling strip of any material represent another 4.4%.

From a continent perspective, $5.8 billion or almost two-thirds (64.2%) worth of worldwide exported hats originated in Asia during 2017, trailed by suppliers in Europe (29.5%) and North America (5.3%). Latin America plus the Caribbean was responsible for 0.4% for the international sales of hats, a shade ahead of 0.3% for African exporters and 0.2% for shippers in Oceania led by Australia and New Zealand.

The 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 650500 for knitted or crocheted headgear or made from lace, felt or other textile fabric. The 6-digit HTS codes are 650610 for safety headgear, 650699 for the catchall category and 650691 for bathing caps. For headgear constructed by assembling strip of any material, the 4-digit HTS prefix is 6504.

Overall

Exported Hats by Country: Overall

Below are the 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of hats shipped during 2017.

  1. China: US$4.3 billion (46.9% of globally exported headgear)
  2. Germany: $455.6 million (5%)
  3. Vietnam: $429.2 million (4.7%)
  4. Italy: $418.2 million (4.6%)
  5. Netherlands: $347.2 million (3.8%)
  6. Bangladesh: $300.1 million (3.3%)
  7. France: $297.9 million (3.3%)
  8. United States: $272.8 million (3%)
  9. Belgium: $242.4 million (2.7%)
  10. United Kingdom: $216.8 million (2.4%)
  11. Mexico: $139.9 million (1.5%)
  12. Hong Kong: $139.1 million (1.5%)
  13. Spain: $139.1 million (1.5%)
  14. South Korea: $109.7 million (1.2%)
  15. Poland: $104.2 million (1.1%)
  16. Taiwan: $102.1 million (1.1%)
  17. Czech Republic: $77.5 million (0.9%)
  18. Canada: $67.4 million (0.7%)
  19. Turkey: $36.6 million (0.4%)
  20. Cambodia: $33.5 million (0.4%)

The above countries produced 90.2% of overall exports for hats in 2017.

Only one top exporter endured a cutback in the overall sales of its hats since 2013, specifically Hong Kong via its -33.4% reduction.

Leading the gainers since 2013 were: Bangladesh (up 613%), Vietnam (up 97.4%), Cambodia (up 94.5%), Taiwan (up 76.5%) then Spain (up 69.8%).

Textile

Hats Exports by Country: Knitted/Crocheted, Lace, Felt, Other Fabric

Below are the 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of hats made from knitted or crocheted fabric, lace, felt or other textile fabric and that was shipped during 2017.

  1. China: US$2.6 billion (50.2% of exported textile fabric headgear)
  2. Vietnam: $352.5 million (6.7%)
  3. Bangladesh: $295.9 million (5.6%)
  4. Netherlands: $229.1 million (4.4%)
  5. Germany: $222.8 million (4.2%)
  6. Italy: $162.1 million (3.1%)
  7. Belgium: $136.3 million (2.6%)
  8. Hong Kong: $119 million (2.3%)
  9. United Kingdom: $112.3 million (2.1%)
  10. France: $101.5 million (1.9%)
  11. United States: $88.2 million (1.7%)
  12. Poland: $75.5 million (1.4%)
  13. Spain: $72.1 million (1.4%)
  14. Mexico: $71.3 million (1.4%)
  15. Taiwan: $54.8 million (1%)
  16. Czech Republic: $45.1 million (0.9%)
  17. Canada: $37.8 million (0.7%)
  18. South Korea: $33.7 million (0.6%)
  19. Turkey: $31.9 million (0.6%)
  20. Cambodia: $31.9 million (0.6%)

The above countries produced 93.5% of textile fabric hats in 2017 including knitted or crocheted headgear.

Leading the gainers since 2013 were: Taiwan (up 1,722%), Bangladesh (up 916.7%), Mexico (up 126.3%), Vietnam (up 97.6%) then Cambodia (up 91.4%).

Only two suppliers posted declines over the 5-year period: Hong Kong (down -30.1%) and China (down -0.8%).

Strip-Assembled

Hats Exports by Country: Plaited or Strip-Assembled

Below are the 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of hats plaited or assembled from strips regardless of material and that was shipped during 2017.

  1. China: US$243.2 million (61.2% of plaited/strip-assembled headgear exports)
  2. Italy: $23.1 million (5.8%)
  3. Mexico: $16.9 million (4.3%)
  4. United States: $16.9 million (4.3%)
  5. Germany: $11.8 million (3%)
  6. United Kingdom: $9.4 million (2.4%)
  7. France: $7.6 million (1.9%)
  8. Ecuador: $7.2 million (1.8%)
  9. Spain: $7.1 million (1.8%)
  10. Vietnam: $7 million (1.8%)
  11. Netherlands: $5.8 million (1.5%)
  12. Hong Kong: $3.8 million (0.9%)
  13. Belgium: $3.1 million (0.8%)
  14. Sri Lanka: $2.5 million (0.6%)
  15. Thailand: $2.4 million (0.6%)
  16. Slovakia: $2.2 million (0.6%)
  17. South Africa: $2.1 million (0.5%)
  18. Bangladesh: $1.7 million (0.4%)
  19. India: $1.7 million (0.4%)

The above countries produced 94.9% of hats plaited or assembled from strips in 2017.

Leading the gainers since 2013 were: Slovakia (up 338.3%), Netherlands (up 336.8%), Poland (up 155.3%), France (up 124.1%) then Spain (up 35%).

The value of exports for plaited or strip-assembled headgear declined for four countries over the 5-year period: Vietnam (down -50.8%), India (down -21.7%), Mexico (down -13.3%) then Thailand (down -0.6%).

Misc.

Hats Exports by Country: Miscellaneous Headgear

Below are the 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of miscellaneous headgear that was shipped during 2017. These include safety hats and bathing caps.

  1. China: US$1.4 billion (40.2% of exported miscellaneous headgear)
  2. Italy: $233 million (6.8%)
  3. Germany: $220.9 million (6.5%)
  4. France: $188.8 million (5.5%)
  5. United States: $167.6 million (4.9%)
  6. Japan: $131.1 million (3.8%)
  7. Netherlands: $112.3 million (3.3%)
  8. Belgium: $103 million (3%)
  9. United Kingdom: $95.2 million (2.8%)
  10. South Korea: $75.9 million (2.2%)
  11. Vietnam: $69.7 million (2%)
  12. Austria: $65.9 million (1.9%)
  13. Spain: $59.9 million (1.8%)
  14. Mexico: $51.7 million (1.5%)
  15. Taiwan: $46.7 million (1.4%)
  16. Thailand: $42.1 million (1.2%)
  17. Sweden: $36.5 million (1.1%)
  18. Malaysia: $32.8 million (1%)
  19. Czech Republic: $31.9 million (0.9%)
  20. Canada: $28.9 million (0.8%)

The above countries supplied 92.6% of miscellaneous headgear exported during 2017.

Leading the gainers since 2013 were: Vietnam (up 181.4%), Austria (up 119.2%), Malaysia (up 114.9%), Czech Republic (up 113%) then Belgium (up 80%).

There were 4 decliners over the 5-year period: Sweden (down -22.5%), Taiwan (down -13.5%), United Kingdom (down -8.8%) then Canada (down -1%).


 



 

See also T-shirt Exports by Country, T-shirt Imports by Country, Top Exported Baby Clothing Sales and Top Sewing Threads Exports by Country

Research Sources:
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Exports – Commodities, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on September 17, 2018

Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on September 17, 2018

Wikipedia, Hat. Accessed on September 17, 2018








Filed Under: Clothing, Growth products, Products