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Top Sewing Threads Exports by Country

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Spools of sewing threads (courtesy of Pixabay.com)
Sewing threads spools
International sales for shipments of sewing threads totaled US$1.96 billion in 2024, flatlining in value by 0.5% since 5 years earlier in 2020 when the global total was $1.95 billion.

Year over year, worldwide export sales of sewing threads slowed by -0.4% compared to $1.97 billion during 2023.

Breaking down that overall total, sewing threads from man-made filaments were worth $1.23 billion in 2024 compared to $633.3 million for sewing threads created from man-made staple fibers. Cotton sewing threads accounted for a smaller amount specifically $99.5 million in export sales during 2024.

Overall, the 5 biggest exporters of sewing threads are mainland China, Türkiye, India, Germany and Hong Kong. Combined, that quintet of leading international suppliers sold two-thirds (66.7%) of globally exported sewing threads during 2024.

From a continental perspective, suppliers in Asia shipped just over three-fifths (60.6%) of overall exported sewing threads trailed by exporters in Europe at 27.4%. Smaller percentages came from North America (5.9%), Africa (3.5%), Latin America (2.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.04%) led by Australia.

The four-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefixes are: 5204 for cotton sewing threads; 5401 for sewing threads from man-made filaments; and 5508 for sewing threads from man-made staple fibers.

Sewing Threads Exports: All materials

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest overall dollar value worth of sewing threads.

  1. mainland China: US$862.7 million (44% of all sewing threads exports)
  2. Türkiye: $213.3 million (10.9%)
  3. India: $94.9 million (4.8%)
  4. Germany: $70.8 million (3.6%)
  5. Hong Kong: $66.9 million (3.4%)
  6. Egypt: $64 million (3.3%)
  7. France: $52.2 million (2.7%)
  8. Italy: $44.6 million (2.3%)
  9. United States: $46.4 million (2.4%)
  10. Netherlands: $42 million (2.1%)
  11. Hungary: $39.1 million (2%)
  12. Vietnam: $32.9 million (1.7%)
  13. Indonesia: $29.2 million (1.5%)
  14. South Korea: $27.8 million (1.4%)
  15. Romania: $25.9 million (1.3%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 87.3% of all sewing threads exported in 2024.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing sewing threads exporters over the 5-year period starting in 2020 were: Türkiye (up 241.3%), Vietnam (up 226.3%), Indonesia (up 173.8%) and Egypt (up 163.6%).

Listed countries that posted declines in their exported sewing threads sales were: Italy (down -66% from 2020), India (down -53.8%) and the Netherlands (down -1.9%).

Cotton Sewing Threads Exports

The value of exported sewing threads made from cotton reduced by -10% from $110.5 million in 2023 to $99.5 million one year later for 2024.

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of cotton sewing threads during 2024.

  1. mainland China: US$34.1 million (34.3% of cotton sewing threads exports)
  2. India: $11.5 million (11.5%)
  3. Italy: $7.3 million (7.3%)
  4. France: $4.2 million (4.2%)
  5. Türkiye: $3.3 million (3.4%)
  6. Netherlands: $3.2 million (3.3%)
  7. Germany: $2.9 million (2.9%)
  8. Dominican Republic: $2.7 million (2.7%)
  9. Costa Rica: $2.62 million (2.6%)
  10. Pakistan: $2.61 million (2.6%)
  11. Guatemala: $2.4 million (2.4%)
  12. United States: $2.1 million (2.1%)
  13. Mexico: $1.6 million (1.6%)
  14. Czech Republic: $1.52 million (1.5%)
  15. Romania: $1.47 million (1.5%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 83.9% of globally exported cotton sewing threads in 2024.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of cotton sewing threads since 2023 were: Guatemala (up 186.4%), Dominican Republic (up 96.3%), Romania (up 21.7%) and Costa Rica (up 20.8%).

Listed countries that posted declines in their exported cotton sewing threads sales were led by: Pakistan (down -49.1% from 2020), United States of America (down -36.4%), Mexico (down -24.8%), Germany (down -22.5%) and Italy (down -19.8%).

Man-made Filaments Sewing Threads Exports

The value of exported sewing threads consisting of man-made filaments dipped by -0.4% compared to $1.234 billion in 2023 falling to $1.23 billion during 2024.

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of sewing threads from man-made filaments during 2024.

  1. mainland China: US$431.2 million (35.1% of man-made filament sewing threads exports)
  2. Germany: $185.1 million (15%)
  3. United States: $77.7 million (6.3%)
  4. Romania: $51.2 million (4.2%)
  5. Vietnam: $45.8 million (3.7%)
  6. Hungary: $44.3 million (3.6%)
  7. United Kingdom: $38.3 million (3.11%)
  8. Türkiye: $34.3 million (2.79%)
  9. Egypt: $32.8 million (2.67%)
  10. Hong Kong: $32.2 million (2.6%)
  11. Italy: $27.3 million (2.2%)
  12. Czech Republic: $21.9 million (1.8%)
  13. Mexico: $18.6 million (1.51%)
  14. Japan: $18.2 million (1.48%)
  15. South Korea: $17.5 million (1.42%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 87.5% of globally exported man-made filament sewing threads in 2024.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of man-made filament sewing threads since 2023 were: Hungary (up 279.9%), Hong Kong (up 26.2%), Egypt (up 5.7%) and mainland China (up 5.1%).

Listed countries that posted declines in their exported man-made filament sewing threads sales were led by: Italy (down -20.2% from 2020), Japan (down -17.4%), United States of America (down -16.6%), Mexico (down -16%) and Romania (down -8.7%).

Man-made Staple Fibers Sewing Threads Exports

The value of exported sewing threads consisting of man-made staple fibers grew by 1.2% from $625.7 million in 2023 to $633.3 million during 2024.

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of sewing threads from man-made staple fibers during 2024.

  1. mainland China: US$397.4 million (62.8% of man-made staple fiber sewing threads exports)
  2. Türkiye: $24.9 million (3.9%)
  3. Hong Kong: $20.2 million (3.2%)
  4. Egypt: $18.7 million (3%)
  5. Germany: $16.7 million (2.6%)
  6. United States: $11.4 million (1.8%)
  7. Vietnam: $10.9 million (1.7%)
  8. Hungary: $10.7 million (1.7%)
  9. Indonesia: $10.4 million (1.6%)
  10. France: $9.7 million (1.5%)
  11. South Korea: $9.2 million (1.5%)
  12. Israel: $7.1 million (1.1%)
  13. Romania: $7 million (1.1%)
  14. Netherlands: $6.5 million (1%)
  15. India: $5.8 million (0.9%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 89.5% of globally exported man-made staple fiber sewing threads in 2024.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of man-made staple fiber sewing threads since 2023 were: Hungary (up 220.8%), Indonesia (up 81.6%), Türkiye (up 25.6%) and Vietnam (up 17.3%).

Listed countries that posted declines in their exported man-made staple fiber sewing threads sales were led by: Netherlands (down -33% from 2020), France (down -23.5%), Israel (down -12.2%), United States of America (down -8.9%) and Egypt (down -8.7%).
 

See also Top Exported Baby Clothing Sales, T-shirt Exports by Country and Leather Shoes Exports by Country

Research Sources:
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on December 29, 2025

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on December 29, 2025

The World Factbook, Field Listing: Exports – Commodities, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on December 29, 2025

Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on December 29, 2025

Wikipedia, Thread (Yarn). Accessed on December 29, 2025