Market evolution: Knit sportswear (CN 611430) — 2015–2025

Introduction

This report analyses the evolution of EU trade in CN 611430 — special garments for professional, sporting or other purposes, of man-made fibres, knitted or crocheted — over the period 2015–2025. The product category covers a broad range of technical and functional knitwear, from professional workwear to sportswear made from synthetic fibres. Over the decade, the EU has undergone a significant transformation in this market: its trade deficit has widened substantially, its sourcing geography has shifted, and a clear trend toward higher unit values — at the expense of traded volumes — has emerged. The scope and definitions of the dashboard provide further detail on the product classification and its position within the broader knitted apparel chapter.

1. A Widening Structural Deficit: The EU's Deepening Import Dependence

The trade balance has deteriorated sharply over the decade

The EU's trade balance for CN 611430 worsened from −€194.6 million in 2015 to −€531.9 million in 2025, a deterioration of 173%. This was not caused by a collapse in exports — export value actually rose by 8.4% — but rather by import growth far outpacing export performance. Imports surged from €469.9 million to €830.2 million (+76.7%), while exports moved from €275.3 million to €298.3 million. The general overview provides the full time series.

Import volumes have grown strongly while export volumes have halved

Behind the headline value figures lies a striking divergence in physical volumes. Import quantities rose from 22,678 tonnes to 34,582 tonnes (+52.5%), confirming genuine growth in the quantity of garments entering the EU. Export quantities, however, fell from 11,775 tonnes to 6,302 tonnes (−46.5%). The EU is therefore buying substantially more knit sportswear from the rest of the world while selling far less by weight — a pattern consistent with the offshoring of mass-market garment production.

The EU's net import reliance has surged

The net import reliance indicator captures the structural shift. In 2015, the metric stood at −30.8%, meaning that the EU's domestic production and export base partially offset its imports. By 2025, it had risen to 74.4%, reflecting a situation where the EU is deeply dependent on external suppliers for its consumption of this product category. This swing of over 100 percentage points points to a fundamental reconfiguration of the EU's position in this market.

2. Shifting Sourcing Geographies: From China-Dominated to Multi-Origin Supply

China remains the leading supplier, but its dominance has moderated

China was and remains the EU's single largest source of imports for CN 611430, accounting for €216.6 million in 2015 and €343.1 million in 2025 (+58.4%). However, the import concentration HHI for value fell from 2,448 to 2,281 (−6.8%), indicating that the EU's import base has become somewhat less concentrated. China's share is being gradually eroded by the rise of alternative suppliers.

Türkiye and Bangladesh have emerged as major growth suppliers

The most dynamic import growth over the period came from Türkiye (€62.2M → €148.2M, +138.2%) and Bangladesh (€24.8M → €82.5M, +232.6%). Türkiye's rise reflects its geographic proximity to the EU, established textile industrial base, and customs union advantages. Bangladesh's surge is consistent with its broader expansion as a low-cost garment exporter, supported by preferential trade access (Everything But Arms). A third noteworthy entrant is Myanmar, which grew from a negligible €0.5 million to €24.8 million (+4,489%), though this trajectory has been subject to political instability since 2021.

UK imports have collapsed post-Brexit

One of the sharpest structural breaks visible in the data is the decline in EU imports from the United Kingdom, which fell from €33.5 million to €11.7 million (−65.2%). The UK also showed the highest coefficient of variation (0.82) among import partners, indicating extreme year-to-year instability — consistent with the disruption caused by the UK's departure from the EU single market and customs union. The volatility analysis confirms this pattern.

Within the EU, Spain has become the dominant importing Member State

Among EU Member States, Spain underwent the most dramatic transformation, with imports surging from €62.2 million to €246.5 million (+296.6%) — making it the EU's largest importer by 2025, overtaking Germany (€152.7M → €187.5M). France (€70.3M → €105.2M, +49.5%) and the Netherlands (€71.0M → €97.0M, +36.6%) also grew. Spain's surge likely reflects the growth of fast-fashion distribution hubs and the country's role as a gateway for Mediterranean and North African supply chains. The top reporters data provides the full breakdown.

3. Moving Up the Value Chain: Rising Unit Values and Reconfigured EU Production

Export unit values have more than doubled, even as volumes declined

Perhaps the most striking trend in the data is the divergence between EU export volumes and values. While export tonnes fell by 46.5%, export value rose by 8.4%, implying that export unit prices surged from €23,374/tonne to €47,302/tonne (+102.4%). This doubling of unit values strongly suggests that the EU is concentrating its exports on higher-value, technically advanced, or branded garments rather than competing on volume with low-cost producers. The general overview details the full price series.

EU domestic production has shifted toward higher value despite declining volumes

EU production data tells a parallel story: production volume fell from 6,442 tonnes to 5,285 tonnes (−18.0%), while production value rose from €115.3 million to €129.3 million (+12.1%). This mirrors the export trend and confirms that the EU's remaining domestic production is oriented toward higher-value segments — consistent with the broader structural shift in European textile manufacturing toward technical, performance, and premium products.

Spain and Poland have become the EU's most specialised exporters

The specialisation analysis for 2025 shows that Spain (RSCA: 0.52, RCA: 3.18) and Poland (RSCA: 0.39, RCA: 2.25) hold the strongest revealed comparative advantages in CN 611430 within the EU. Poland's emergence is particularly notable: its exports surged from €0.5 million in 2015 to €18.7 million in 2025 (+3,648%), suggesting rapid development of a specialised production niche. Germany also grew strongly as an exporter (€25.4M → €72.3M, +184.5%), while traditional producers like Italy (€97.5M → €63.0M, −35.4%) and France (€73.8M → €32.6M, −55.9%) saw significant declines — a potential signal of competitive displacement within the EU itself.

Export destinations reveal a diversification toward transatlantic and emerging markets

The EU's export geography shifted notably over the period. Exports to Switzerland — the largest single destination — remained robust (€61.8M → €77.1M, +24.7%) and showed the lowest volatility (CV: 0.09), confirming its role as a stable, high-value market. Exports to the United States expanded dramatically from €9.4 million to €33.9 million (+259.0%), although with high volatility (CV: 0.84). The United Kingdom remained a significant market at €41.6 million but was essentially flat (−2.4%). Emerging destinations like Chile (€1.3M → €4.9M, +273.1%) also contributed to diversification. The top partners view provides the complete picture.

Conclusion

Over the 2015–2025 period, the EU market for CN 611430 underwent a threefold transformation. First, the EU shifted from a position of moderate net import reliance to one of deep structural dependence on external suppliers, with the trade deficit widening to over half a billion euros. Second, the sourcing geography diversified away from a China- and UK-centric model toward a broader base that increasingly includes Türkiye, Bangladesh, and other Asian and Mediterranean origins — a process accelerated by Brexit and evolving preferential trade arrangements. Third, and most distinctively, the EU's remaining role in this product category has moved decisively up the value chain: both exports and domestic production now involve far fewer tonnes but at substantially higher unit values, suggesting a concentration on technical, premium, or branded garments. While this value-added strategy preserves some EU competitiveness, the simultaneous decline in volumes and growing import penetration raises questions about long-term industrial resilience in this segment. The autonomy and vulnerability indicators underscore that the EU's exposure to external supply disruptions in this category is now structurally elevated.