China+1 is evolving into China+proof for apparel sourcing

The $** billion warning and the apparel question

The White House&#**;s August ** report estimates potential China-linked illegal transshipment at $**.* billion-$**.* billion annually and uses a rounded $** billion midpoint. That is an all-goods modelled estimate, not $** billion of verified fraud or apparel trade.

For textiles and clothing, however, the sourcing shift is difficult to ignore. According to TexPro, US imports of HS **-** knitted and woven apparel fell from $**.** billion in **** to $**.** billion in ****. China&#**;s shipments dropped from $**.** billion to $**.** billion, a loss of just over $** billion.

China&#**;s share consequently fell **.** percentage points, from **.** per cent to **.** per cent. Over the same period, Vietnam, India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka increased their combined share from **.** per cent to **.** per cent. The White House places India in Tier *; Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand in Tier *; and Bangladesh, Cambodia and Sri Lanka in Tier *. Their *.**-point gain was equivalent to **.* per cent of China&#**;s lost share points.