Market evolution: Raw silk (CN 50) — 2015–2025

Introduction

This report analyses the European Union's trade in silk products (Customs Code 50) from 2015 to 2025. The data reveals a market characterised by significant contraction in trade volumes, a concurrent rise in unit values, and a fundamental restructuring of trade flows. Over the decade, the EU's silk trade deficit widened as export volumes fell more sharply than import volumes, despite both declining. This report examines the overarching contraction, the compositional shift within the product basket, and the geographical realignment of trade partners that define the period.

A Decade of Contraction: Shrinking Volumes but Rising Unit Values

The EU's silk trade, encompassing both imports and exports, experienced a sustained decline in physical volumes between 2015 and 2025, while average unit values trended upwards, suggesting a move towards higher-value products.

Declining Trade Volumes Defining the Period

Both sides of the EU's silk trade contracted significantly over the period. Total import quantity fell by 24.6%, from 5,942.7 tonnes in 2015 to 4,480.2 tonnes in 2025. The contraction was even more pronounced on the export side, with volumes declining by 48.3%, from 1,536.9 tonnes to 794.9 tonnes. This accelerated decline in exports relative to imports caused the EU's net import reliance on silk products to surge from 8.3% in 2015 to 24.9% in 2025.

Resilient Valuations Amidst Volume Decline

Despite the fall in quantities, the value of trade proved more resilient, and unit prices increased. The value of EU imports decreased by 14.9% (to €302.1 million), while the value of exports fell by 38.8% (to €124.9 million). Consequently, the average price per tonne for imports rose by 13.0% to €67,417, and the average price for exports climbed by 18.4% to €157,061. This price increase indicates a shift in the trade mix towards more processed or higher-grade silk products.

Source: General Overview

A Sector in Transition: Shifting Product Composition and Specialisation

The aggregate contraction masks a significant compositional shift within the silk product basket, with woven fabrics declining in importance on both trade flows and some raw material and intermediate goods gaining share.

The Fading Dominance of Woven Silk Fabrics

Woven fabrics of silk (CN 5007) remain the largest single category by value in both EU imports and exports. However, its dominance has eroded. In imports, its share by value fell from 51.4% in 2015 to 38.2% in 2025. In exports, the decline was steeper, from 89.1% to 86.6% by value, but more critically, its volume share fell from 75.1% to 66.5%. This reflects reduced demand for finished silk textiles within the EU and abroad.

The Rise of Intermediate Silk Goods

In contrast, several intermediate product categories gained prominence:

• Yarn spun from silk waste (CN 5005): Import volumes increased by 51.0%, and its value share in imports nearly tripled from 6.7% to 12.7%.
• Raw silk (CN 5002): While import volumes were stable, its value share in imports rose from 23.0% to 31.5%. Notably, EU exports of raw silk grew from a negligible 13.7 tonnes to 34.9 tonnes, indicating developing intra-EU re-export activity.
• Silk waste (CN 5003): Maintained a stable import volume share, but its value share increased from 7.8% to 8.7%, pointing to rising unit prices.

Geographic Concentration and Specialisation

The EU's production of silk, concentrated in a few member states, showed increasing specialisation. In 2025, Romania (RCA: 16.6) and Italy (RCA: 6.3) displayed strong revealed comparative advantages in silk production. This specialisation is reflected in trade: Italy was the EU's largest importer (€170.1 million, 56.3% of total) and exporter (€96.2 million, 77.1% of total) of silk in 2025, underscoring its central role in the EU's silk value chain, from importing raw materials to exporting high-value finished fabrics.

Source: Product Segment Breakdown

Geographical Realignment: Consolidating Sources and Diversifying Markets

The geographic landscape of EU silk trade underwent a clear consolidation for imports and a broader dispersal for exports, altering the bloc's vulnerability profile.

Import Dependency Strengthening on China

The EU's import market became more concentrated, with China reinforcing its dominance. China's share of EU silk imports by value increased from 79.0% in 2015 to 82.6% in 2025, despite a slight decline in its absolute import value. The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) for import concentration rose from 6,315 to 6,874, confirming increased supplier concentration. Other major suppliers like India (-43.7%) and Viet Nam (-54.2%) saw significant declines in their share.

Export Market Diversification and New Corridors

EU exports became less concentrated (HHI value fell from 966 to 898) but faced severe volume declines in traditional markets. Exports to the United Kingdom (-54.7%), the United States (-45.3%), and Madagascar (-66.9%) collapsed. A notable bright spot was Tunisia, where EU exports surged by 85.4% to €23.5 million, likely driven by nearshoring and integration into European textile supply chains. This shift highlights a realignment towards neighbouring and partner countries.

The Intra-EU Dimension: Italy as the Fulcrum

The trade dynamics are heavily shaped by Italy's industrial fabric. Italy's massive imports of raw and intermediate silk (€170.1 million in 2025) feed its renowned textile manufacturing, which then exports finished silk goods (€96.2 million). This makes the intra-EU flow and Italy's competitiveness critical for the entire bloc's trade balance. The significant decline in exports from France (-71.5%) and Germany (-77.4%) further cements Italy's central, yet increasingly isolated, role within the EU.

Source: Partners concentration

Conclusion

The EU silk market between 2015 and 2025 is defined by a narrative of structural adjustment. The sector contracted in physical scale, with export volumes halving and import volumes falling by a quarter. This was counterbalanced by a shift in the product mix towards higher-value intermediates and raw materials, and by rising unit prices. Geographically, the EU's import dependency consolidated heavily on China, while export markets diversified away from traditional partners towards proximate regions like North Africa. The data underscores the evolving role of the EU, and Italy in particular, as a specialised processor importing raw materials to produce and export high-value finished silk goods, albeit on a smaller scale than a decade prior.