Market evolution: Protective garments (CN 6210) — 2015–2025

Introduction

This report analyses the EU's trade in protective garments classified under CN code 6210 over the 2015-2025 period. This category encompasses a wide range of technical and protective apparel, including garments made of felt or nonwovens, as well as plastic-coated or laminated textile fabrics. The analysis reveals a market undergoing significant structural transformation, characterized by a deepening trade deficit, a dramatic reconfiguration of supply chains away from China towards South and Southeast Asia, and the powerful distortive effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. EU exports have declined, while domestic production has shown a complex and volatile trajectory. The data points to an industry facing challenges in competitiveness and increasing vulnerability to global supply dynamics.

A Widening Trade Deficit and Shifting Import Dependency

The EU's trade position for protective garments has deteriorated markedly over the decade, moving from a substantial deficit in 2015 to a much larger one by 2025. This reflects a structural increase in import reliance coupled with a decline in export performance.

The Expanding Import-Export Gap

The EU consistently ran a trade deficit in this sector, which more than doubled in value from €-784 million in 2015 to €-1,532 million in 2025. This was driven by EU imports growing in value by 25.9% (from €1.92 billion to €2.42 billion) while EU exports fell by 22.1% (from €1.13 billion to €884 million). The net import reliance consequently soared from 42.5% in 2015 to 88.7% in 2025, highlighting the EU's growing dependency on external suppliers.

Diversification Away from China

While China remained the largest single supplier in 2025, its dominance has significantly eroded. The value of EU imports from China fell by 17.8% over the period, and its share of total imports decreased. This decline was more than compensated by surges in imports from other Asian countries. Notably, imports from Bangladesh grew by 215.0%, from Viet Nam by 99.1%, and from Myanmar by 777.7%. This shift is reflected in the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) for import concentration by value, which fell by 46.9%, indicating a move from a highly concentrated to a more diversified supply base.

The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Structural Shock and Its Aftermath

The year 2020 stands out as a period of extreme disruption, with the global health crisis triggering a massive, short-term demand surge for protective wear. This led to a price and volume shock that distorted trade flows and temporarily reshaped the market.

The 2020 Import Surge and Price Spike

The most significant data anomaly occurs in 2020. EU import volumes spiked to 242,170 tonnes (the maximum in the period) from 125,905 tonnes in 2019, while the unit price surged to a peak of €20,390 per tonne. This was driven almost entirely by an unprecedented spike in imports from China. The value of imports from China in 2020 reached €3.18 billion, its maximum, before falling back in subsequent years. The data detects this as a major price shock with an abnormality score of 109.1. This shock was specific to garments made of felt or nonwovens (CN 621010), where import value in 2020 exploded to €3.29 billion from €385 million in 2019.

Volatility in Supply and Demand

The pandemic's shockwaves are evident in the high volatility of certain trade relationships. For instance, imports from Türkiye and the United Kingdom show very high coefficients of variation (1.56 and 1.00, respectively), indicating highly unstable flows. On the export side, shipments to the Russian Federation collapsed by 91.9% to just €7.1 million in 2025, likely reflecting geopolitical sanctions post-2022. Exports to the United States also halved, falling by 50.6%. This export volatility underscores the EU's difficulties in maintaining stable external markets for these products.

EU Export Decline and Domestic Production Dynamics

While imports have grown, the EU's export performance in protective garments has weakened, revealing challenges in competitiveness. Domestic production figures tell a complex story of shifting output volumes and values.

Erosion of Export Markets

Total EU exports in value terms fell by 22.1% from 2015 to 2025. The decline was widespread across key destinations. The United States, once the largest market, saw imports from the EU halve to €97 million. The collapse in exports to the Russian Federation was even more severe. Switzerland was the only major partner to see growth. Within the EU, Italy's exports plummeted by 46.3%, making it the second-largest exporter in 2025 instead of the largest. This suggests a loss of competitive edge in traditional high-value markets.

A Sector with Niche Specialisation but Overall Weakness

Analysis of comparative advantage for 2025 shows that only a few smaller EU member states (Sweden, Greece, Finland) display a strong revealed comparative advantage (RCA >1) in this product category. Larger economies like Germany and France, while major importers and exporters, do not show significant specialisation. EU production volumes (measured in items) surged by 165.9% from 2015 to a peak in 2025, yet production value fell by 50.8% over the same period. This inverse movement suggests a shift towards producing lower-value items or significant deflationary pressures in the sector. The data paints a picture of an industry where only niche players thrive, while broader EU competitiveness has waned.

Conclusion

The 2015-2025 period has been transformative for the EU's protective garments market (CN 6210). The region has transitioned from a significant to a massive net importer, fundamentally altering its supply chain dependencies. The historic reliance on China has been actively diversifying towards Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Myanmar, likely driven by cost advantages and the geopolitical imperative to de-risk supply chains. The COVID-19 pandemic inflicted a massive, albeit temporary, shock in 2020, causing a price and volume spike that underscored the sector's strategic importance and vulnerability. Concurrently, the EU's export footprint has contracted, with losses in key markets like the US and Russia. While domestic production volumes have increased, their falling value indicates competitive challenges. Overall, the EU has become more dependent on imports, its exports have become less competitive, and its industry is characterized by high volatility and niche specialisation. Future strategies will need to address these structural vulnerabilities to enhance resilience and competitiveness.