Market evolution: Brassieres (CN 621210) — 2015–2025
Introduction
This report examines the evolution of EU trade in brassieres (Combined Nomenclature code 621210) over the period 2015–2025, covering both standalone brassieres and those sold in coordinated sets with briefs. The EU is a major consumer market for this product category, and the period under review has been marked by profound structural change: a dramatic collapse in domestic production, a steep rise in import dependency, a significant re-orientation of sourcing away from China toward emerging Asian producers, and a contraction of EU export capacity. These dynamics reflect broader trends in global apparel supply chains — offshoring, post-Brexit trade reconfiguration, and pandemic-era disruptions — whose combined effect has fundamentally reshaped the competitive landscape.
Full data and interactive charts are available on the Trade Dashboard overview page.
1. The Collapse of EU Production and the Widening Trade Deficit
EU domestic production has fallen by over 80% in volume
The most striking development in the EU brassiere market over the decade is the near-disappearance of domestic manufacturing. EU production output declined from 225.7 million items in 2015 to just 43.5 million items in 2025, a fall of 80.7%. In value terms, production dropped from €1.215 billion to €286 million (–76.5%), with the minimum recorded in the final year. This indicates that the decline has been continuous and severe, not a temporary fluctuation.
Production volumes on the dashboard
The trade deficit has widened steadily despite relatively stable import values
The EU's trade deficit in brassieres grew from –€1.174 billion in 2015 to –€1.282 billion in 2025 (+9.2% in absolute terms), after peaking at –€1.492 billion in 2022. Import values rose modestly by 5.5% over the period (from €1.563 billion to €1.649 billion), while export values fell by 5.5% (from €388 million to €367 million). The gap was partly cushioned by the fact that import volumes grew faster in weight (+15.5%) than in value, reflecting declining unit import prices.
| Indicator | 2015 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU production (million items) | 225.7 | 43.5 | –80.7% |
| EU production value (€ billion) | 1.215 | 0.286 | –76.5% |
| Import value (€ billion) | 1.563 | 1.649 | +5.5% |
| Export value (€ million) | 388 | 367 | –5.5% |
| Trade balance (€ billion) | –1.174 | –1.282 | –9.2% |
Net import reliance has surged to over 80%
The most telling measure of structural dependency is net import reliance, which rose from 32.6% in 2015 to 80.8% in 2025 (+147.7%). This metric captures the proportion of apparent consumption that must be satisfied by net imports. The near-tripling of this ratio in a decade reflects the combined effect of collapsing domestic output and rising import volumes. Similarly, trade intensity reached 103.8%, meaning total trade flows (imports + exports) now exceed the size of the domestic market itself. Export propensity rose from 23.6% to 124.5%, a striking figure suggesting that what remains of EU output is heavily oriented toward re-export rather than domestic consumption.
2. Diversifying Supply Chains: From Chinese Dominance to a Multi-Polar Asian Sourcing Map
China remains the largest supplier but is losing market share
China was the EU's dominant brassiere supplier in 2015, accounting for €777 million in imports — roughly half of total import value. By 2025, Chinese-origin imports had declined to €621 million, a drop of 20.0%. Nevertheless, China still represents the single largest source, and the decline in its share has been gradual rather than abrupt. In volume terms, China's tonnage fluctuated but the general trend was downward, while its share of total import items also eroded.
Bangladesh, Viet Nam, and Myanmar have emerged as major alternative suppliers
The most dramatic growth has come from three Asian producers:
| Supplier | Import value 2015 (€ million) | Import value 2025 (€ million) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 114.3 | 242.2 | +111.9% |
| Viet Nam | 65.3 | 202.7 | +210.5% |
| Myanmar | 13.3 | 52.2 | +291.5% |
Bangladesh more than doubled its exports to the EU, Viet Nam tripled them, and Myanmar quintupled its deliveries. These countries have benefited from preferential trade arrangements (e.g., the EU's Everything But Arms initiative for least-developed countries), lower labour costs, and deliberate supply-chain diversification by multinational retailers seeking to reduce over-reliance on China.
Sri Lanka has maintained a stable and significant position
Sri Lanka, a long-established lingerie manufacturing hub, increased its EU-bound exports by 36.1% (from €128 million to €174 million). Its share remained significant, and it has clearly held its ground as a mid-tier supplier with established quality capabilities.
The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index confirms declining import concentration
The HHI for import concentration by value declined from 2,703 to 1,996 (–26.2%). While the 2015 level already indicated a moderately concentrated market, the move toward 2,000 reflects meaningful diversification. The volume-based HHI followed a similar trajectory, falling from 3,421 to 2,932. This diversification is a deliberate strategic response to supply-chain risk — a trend that accelerated after the COVID-19 pandemic and amid geopolitical tensions.
Brexit caused the collapse of UK–EU brassiere trade in both directions
The United Kingdom's departure from the EU single market is starkly visible in the data. UK-origin imports into the EU fell by 75.5% (from €63.9 million to €15.6 million), with the sharpest drop occurring after 2020. The volatility coefficient for UK imports stands at 1.22 — by far the highest of any partner — reflecting the structural break rather than normal fluctuation. A significant price shock in UK imports was detected in 2023, with an abnormality score of 44.4 and a unit-price shift of +156.3%, likely linked to a reclassification or a collapse in lower-value flows. On the export side, EU brassiere shipments to the UK also halved (from €80.1 million to €39.9 million), making the UK one of the most volatile export partners (CV = 0.45).
3. Shifting Unit Values, Export Retreat, and Intra-EU Reconfiguration
Import prices have fallen while export prices have risen — a divergence in product positioning
Over the period, the average import price per tonne declined from €39,279 to €35,889 (–8.6%), while the average export price per tonne rose from €87,822 to €95,891 (+9.2%). This divergence suggests a structural stratification: the EU increasingly imports lower-cost, mass-market brassieres from Asia while retaining a niche in higher-value, branded, or technically sophisticated products for export. The supplementary-unit prices reinforce this picture: the per-item import price was essentially flat (€3.52 to €3.55), while the per-item export price rose from €7.95 to €9.61 (+20.9%).
| Metric | 2015 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Import price (€/t) | 39,279 | 35,889 | –8.6% |
| Export price (€/t) | 87,822 | 95,891 | +9.2% |
| Import price (€/item) | 3.52 | 3.55 | +0.8% |
| Export price (€/item) | 7.95 | 9.61 | +20.9% |
EU export volumes have contracted sharply
Export tonnage fell from 4,419 tonnes to 3,822 tonnes (–13.5%), and the supplementary unit count dropped from 48.8 million items to 38.2 million items (–21.8%). This decline is consistent with the loss of domestic production capacity. The most notable destination-level declines were the United States (–46.2%) and the United Kingdom (–50.1%). Against this, some destinations showed growth: Switzerland (+44.4%, to €92.8 million, making it the EU's largest single export market by 2025), Türkiye (+88.2%), and Ukraine (relatively stable at €12.4 million).
Within the EU, export leadership has shifted from France to Germany and Italy
A dramatic reallocation of export activity has occurred among EU Member States:
| Member State | Export value 2015 (€ million) | Export value 2025 (€ million) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 112.2 | 24.3 | –78.4% |
| Germany | 60.2 | 91.2 | +51.5% |
| Italy | 41.0 | 82.4 | +101.0% |
| Poland | 7.8 | 27.5 | +253.0% |
| Netherlands | 17.0 | 31.9 | +88.1% |
France, historically the EU's leading brassiere exporter (driven by luxury and premium brands), saw its export value plunge by 78.4% to just €24.3 million. Germany and Italy each roughly doubled their exports, while Poland emerged as a significant new exporter (+253%), consistent with its broader growth as a Central European apparel manufacturing hub. These shifts likely reflect changes in production location decisions, with French brands increasingly manufacturing abroad while German and Italian firms — and especially Polish producers — have expanded their export-oriented capacity.
Specialisation patterns confirm a Central European production niche
According to the revealed comparative advantage analysis, the most specialised EU producers in brassieres are Croatia (RSCA: 0.80), Austria (0.55), Estonia (0.32), Latvia (0.27), and Poland (0.25). This cluster of Central and Eastern European countries, alongside Austria, points to a regional niche in lingerie manufacturing that has partly compensated for the retreat of Western European production. By contrast, Ireland, Finland, Malta, and Cyprus show negligible specialisation, consistent with their limited textile-apparel sectors.
The standalone brassiere segment overwhelmingly dominates trade
Breaking the heading-level data into its two sub-categories, standalone brassieres (CN 62121090) account for the vast majority of both imports and exports. In 2025, standalone brassieres represented 96.7% of import value and 97.1% of export value. The coordinated set segment (CN 62121010, brassiere-and-brief sets) has been in decline: its import value fell from €68.5 million in 2015 to €41.8 million in 2025, and its export value dropped from €17.9 million to €10.7 million. This suggests that consumer and retailer preferences have shifted away from pre-packaged coordinated sets toward individual brassiere purchases.
Conclusion
The EU brassiere market over 2015–2025 has undergone a fundamental structural transformation. Domestic production has collapsed to roughly one-fifth of its 2015 level, pushing net import reliance above 80%. Supply chains have diversified significantly away from China toward Bangladesh, Viet Nam, and Myanmar, though China remains the single largest origin. Import unit prices have declined, reflecting the growing weight of cost-efficient Asian sourcing, while export unit values have risen — a sign that remaining EU exports occupy a higher-end niche. Within the EU, export leadership has shifted decisively from France to Germany, Italy, and Poland, reflecting changing manufacturing geography. The Brexit-driven collapse of UK–EU trade flows stands out as one of the sharpest structural breaks in the data. Going forward, the EU's high import dependency and the continued erosion of domestic capacity raise important questions about supply-chain resilience and the sustainability of sourcing strategies in an era of increasing geopolitical uncertainty.