Year over year, worldwide exports of sewing threads accelerated by 19.6% compared to $1.78 billion during 2020.
Breaking down that overall total, sewing threads from man-made filaments were worth $1.25 billion in 2021 compared to $755.5 million for sewing threads created from man-made staple fibers. Cotton sewing threads accounted for a smaller amount specifically $129.5 million in export sales during 2021.
In general, the 5 biggest exporters of sewing threads are mainland China, Germany, United States of America, Hong Kong and Egypt. Combined, that quintet of leading international suppliers sold almost two-thirds (64.5%) of globally exported sewing threads during 2021.
From a continental perspective, suppliers in Asia shipped about three-fifths (60.5%) of overall exported sewing threads trailed by exporters in Europe at 27.3%. Smaller percentages came from North America (6%), Africa (4%), Latin America (2.2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.02%) 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
The value of exported sewing threads consisting of all materials referenced in this article expanded by 19.6% from $1.78 billion in 2020 to $2.13 billion during 2021. Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest overall dollar value worth of sewing threads.
- China: US$876.1 million (41.1% of overall exported sewing threads)
- Germany: $218.3 million (10.2%)
- United States: $109.5 million (5.1%)
- Hong Kong: $98.1 million (4.6%)
- Egypt: $72.8 million (3.4%)
- Turkey: $56.2 million (2.6%)
- Romania: $55 million (2.6%)
- Italy: $45 million (2.1%)
- India: $42 million (2%)
- Vietnam: $39.6 million (1.9%)
- Hungary: $38.2 million (1.8%)
- United Kingdom: $37.5 million (1.8%)
- South Korea: $35.4 million (1.7%)
- Japan: $34.4 million (1.6%)
- Netherlands: $25.6 million (1.2%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 83.6% of global sewing threads exports in 2021.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of sewing threads over the 5-year period starting in 2017 were: Egypt (up 146%), Vietnam (up 43.7%), Netherlands (up 32.9%) and India (up 22.1%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported sewing threads sales were led by: South Korea (down -35.7%), United States of America (down -26.7%), Hong Kong (down -10.8%), Japan (down -9.8%) and Hungary (down -6.5%).
Cotton Sewing Threads Exports
The value of exported sewing threads made from cotton grew by 13.1% from $114.4 million in 2020 to $129.4 million one year later. Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of cotton sewing threads during 2021.
- China: US$28.6 million (22.1% of exported cotton sewing threads)
- India: $20 million (15.4%)
- Turkey: $11.2 million (8.7%)
- Italy: $9 million (7%)
- Pakistan: $6 million (4.6%)
- Germany: $5 million (3.9%)
- Vietnam: $4.8 million (3.7%)
- Spain: $4.1 million (3.2%)
- Hong Kong: $2.8 million (2.2%)
- Egypt: $2.8 million (2.2%)
- Netherlands: $2.53 million (2%)
- Belgium: $2.45 million (1.9%)
- United States: $2.21 million (1.7%)
- South Africa: $2.09 million (1.6%)
- France: $2.08 million (1.6%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 81.6% of globally exported cotton sewing threads in 2021.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of cotton sewing threads from 2020 to 2021 were: Vietnam (up 1,671%), Belgium (up 82.9%), Netherlands (up 55.8%) and Egypt (up 54.4%).
Four major suppliers posted declines in their exported sales of cotton sewing threads namely: Turkey (down -30.4%), United States of America (down -15.8%), Germany (down -2.1%), then Hong Kong (down -1.7%).
Man-made Filaments Sewing Threads Exports
The value of exported sewing threads consisting of man-made filaments advanced by 17.6% from $1.06 billion in 2020 to $1.25 billion during 2021. Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of sewing threads from man-made filaments during 2021.
- China: US$399.6 million (32% of exported man-made filament sewing threads)
- Germany: $198.1 million (15.9%)
- United States: $90.9 million (7.3%)
- Hong Kong: $51.4 million (4.1%)
- Romania: $48.5 million (3.9%)
- Egypt: $39.9 million (3.2%)
- United Kingdom: $35.9 million (2.88%)
- Turkey: $31.5 million (2.53%)
- Italy: $30 million (2.41%)
- Hungary: $29.9 million (2.4%)
- Japan: $28.5 million (2.3%)
- Vietnam: $24.6 million (2%)
- Czech Republic: $20.4 million (1.64%)
- South Korea: $19.7 million (1.58%)
- Spain: $16.7 million (1.34%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 85.4% of global exports for man-made filament sewing threads in 2021.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of man-made filament sewing threads since 2020 were: Hong Kong (up 42.8%), Italy (up 36%), South Korea (up 34.8%) and Egypt (up 26.1%).
Vietnam was the lone top supplier to decrease its exports of man-made filament sewing threads, weighed down by its -12.2% reduction year over year.
Man-made Staple Fibers Sewing Threads Exports
The value of exported sewing threads consisting of man-made staple fibers accelerated by 24.4% from $607.2 million in 2020 to $755.5 million during 2021. Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of sewing threads from man-made staple fibers during 2021.
- China: US$447.9 million (59.3% of exported man-made staple fiber sewing threads)
- Hong Kong: $43.9 million (5.8%)
- Egypt: $30.1 million (4%)
- Israel: $17.8 million (2.3%)
- United States: $16.5 million (2.2%)
- France: $16.2 million (2.1%)
- Germany: $15.2 million (2%)
- Netherlands: $15 million (2%)
- South Korea: $14.8 million (2%)
- Turkey: $13.5 million (1.8%)
- Sri Lanka: $10.23 million (1.4%)
- Vietnam: $10.15 million (1.3%)
- India: $8.95 million (1.2%)
- Indonesia: $8.9 million (1.2%)
- Hungary: $7.1 million (0.9%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 89.5% of global exports for man-made staple fiber sewing threads in 2021.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of man-made staple fiber sewing threads since 2020 were: France (up 307.2%), United States of America (up 71.1%), Egypt (up 58%) and the Netherlands (up 48.8%).
A trio of major suppliers that post declines in their sales of exported man-made staple fiber sewing threads were: Germany (down -24.3%), Hungary (down -13.3%) and Indonesia (down -1.5%).
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 September 7, 2022
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 7, 2022
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Exports – Commodities, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on September 7, 2022
Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on September 7, 2022
Wikipedia, Thread (Yarn). Accessed on September 7, 2022
