That dollar amount results from a 16.4% average increase for all importing countries from five years earlier in 2021 when international purchases of imported T-shirts cost $43.3 billion.
Year over year, worldwide T-shirt imports grew overall purchases by 5.8% compared to $47.7 billion during 2024.
From a continental perspective, buyers based in Europe purchased the highest dollar worth of imported T-shirts at $26.9 billion or over half (53.3%) of the global total for 2025. In second place were importers in Asia at 20.6% while another 17% of T-shirts imported worldwide was delivered to customers in North America.
Smaller percentages went to buyers in Latin America (4.9%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Oceania (2.1%) led by Australia and New Zealand, then those in Africa (2%).
Cotton is the dominant material for T-shirt manufacturing. Cotton T-shirts accounted for $35.3 billion in worldwide purchases or approaching three-quarters (70%) of all T-shirts imported during 2025.
Similar apparel made from textiles other than cotton equaled $15.1 billion for the remaining 30%.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for knitted or crocheted T-shirt is 6109. Drilling down, cotton T-shirts fall under 610910 while T-shirts made from other materials are categorized as 610990.
T-shirt Imports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of knitted or crocheted T-shirts (regardless of source materials) during 2025.
- United States: US$6.7 billion (13.4% of total imported T-shirts)
- Germany: $5 billion (9.9%)
- France: $2.71 billion (5.4%)
- Japan: $2.64 billion (5.2%)
- Spain: $2.41 billion (4.8%)
- United Kingdom: $2.33 billion (4.6%)
- Italy: $2.26 billion (4.5%)
- Poland: $1.94 billion (3.9%)
- Netherlands: $1.9 billion (3.8%)
- South Korea: $1.2 billion (2.3%)
- Belgium: $1 billion (2.1%)
- Canada: $958.2 million (1.9%)
- mainland China: $921.7 million (1.8%)
- Australia: $902.7 million (1.8%)
- Austria: $897.6 million (1.8%)
By value, the listed 15 countries purchased over two-thirds (67.1%) of all T-shirts imported in 2025.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for T-shirts since 2021 were: Poland (up 68.6%), Spain (up 41.5%), Canada (up 27.8%) and Japan (up 27.2%).
Those countries that posted 5-year declines in their imported T-shirts purchases were led by: mainland China (down -17.4% from 2021), Belgium (down -12.5%) and the United States of America (down -8.8%).
T-shirt Imports by Country: Cotton
Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of cotton T-shirts during 2025.
- United States: US$4.9 billion (13.8% of imported cotton T-shirts)
- Germany: $3.4 billion (9.7%)
- France: $1.9 billion (5.3%)
- Spain: $1.74 billion (4.9%)
- Italy: $1.71 billion (4.8%)
- United Kingdom: $1.61 billion (4.6%)
- Japan: $1.54 billion (4.4%)
- Poland: $1.52 billion (4.3%)
- Netherlands: $1.3 billion (3.8%)
- Hong Kong: $731.6 million (2.1%)
- South Korea: $725.4 million (2.1%)
- Belgium: $709.3 million (2%)
- mainland China: $679.8 million (1.9%)
- Canada: $673.4 million (1.9%)
- Australia: $666.4 million (1.9%)
By value, the listed 15 countries purchased 67.4% of all cotton T-shirts imported in 2025.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for cotton T-shirts since 2021 were: Poland (up 67.5%), Spain (up 35.6%), Canada (up 29.2%) and Japan (up 19.9%).
Those countries that posted 5-year declines in their imported cotton T-shirts purchases were: mainland China (down -20.6%), Belgium (down -18.1%), United States of America (down -8.5%) and the United Kingdom (down -3%).
T-shirt Imports by Country: Non-Cotton Textiles
Below are the 15 countries that, during 2025, imported the highest dollar value worth of T-shirts made from textile materials other than cotton.
- United States: US$1.9 billion (12.4% of imported non-cotton T-shirts)
- Germany: $1.6 billion (10.4%)
- Japan: $1.1 billion (7.2%)
- France: $831 million (5.5%)
- United Kingdom: $716.3 million (4.7%)
- Spain: $677.9 million (4.5%)
- Netherlands: $564.2 million (3.7%)
- Italy: $555.7 million (3.7%)
- South Korea: $453.4 million (3%)
- Poland: $421.5 million (2.8%)
- Belgium: $330.2 million (2.2%)
- Canada: $284.8 million (1.9%)
- Austria: $266.6 million (1.8%)
- Switzerland: $252 million (1.7%)
- mainland China: $241.8 million (1.6%)
By value, the listed 15 countries purchased 67.1% of all non-cotton T-shirts imported in 2025.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for non-cotton T-shirts since 2021 were: Poland (up 72.7%), Italy (up 68.7%), Spain (up 58.9%) and Switzerland (up 45.9%).
A pair among the above-listed countries that posted 5-year declines in their imported non-cotton T-shirts purchases were the United States of America (down -9.5%) and mainland China (down -6.9%).
T-shirt Exporting Companies
According to global trading platform Alibaba, the following B2B (business-to-business) companies are examples of international T-shirt suppliers.
- B2B Print SIA (Latvia)
- CIAO Develop Co, Ltd (Taiwan)
- Dongguan Qinghuo Apparel Co, Ltd (China)
- Fashion Mag Trade (Italy)
- Guangzhou Mingmen Garments (China)
- Iniz Solutions (India)
- MONA Trading B2B (Poland)
- OITA Sports Industries (Pakistan)
- Push Top Service & Trading Co Ltd (Vietnam)
- Xiangshan Eco-Friendly Knitting Co (China)
The home-country location for each business is shown within parentheses.
See also T-shirt Exports by Country, Top Exported Hats by Country and Top Exported Baby Clothing Sales
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Imports – Commodities. Accessed on September 14, 2026
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 14, 2026
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 14, 2026