Market evolution: Special garments (CN 611490) — 2015–2025

Introduction

This report analyses the evolution of the European Union's external trade in special garments for professional, sporting, or other purposes (Customs code 611490) over the period 2015–2025. The product category encompasses knitted or crocheted garments made from textile materials other than cotton and man-made fibres, which often include niche items such as advanced technical sportswear, specialized workwear, or performance apparel. Over the decade, the EU's position in this market has undergone a profound transformation, shifting from a position of significant net exporter to one of strong net importer. This report details the key dynamics behind this structural change, including the collapse of major traditional export destinations, the diversification of import sources, and the subsequent impact on the EU's production landscape.

1. A Structural Shift: From Net Exporter to Net Importer

The most striking feature of the 2015–2025 period is the fundamental reversal in the EU's trade balance for CN 611490. The Union moved from a comfortable surplus to a substantial deficit, driven by a sharp decline in export performance alongside steady growth in imports.

The erosion of EU export capacity

EU exports of special garments experienced a pronounced contraction. The export value fell by 39.1%, from €496.3 million in 2015 to €302.2 million in 2025. This decline was not merely a matter of pricing but reflected a deeper reduction in traded volumes; the quantity exported dropped by 40.6%, indicating a genuine loss of market share abroad. The collapse was particularly pronounced in key Asian markets. Exports to Hong Kong, the single largest destination in 2015, plummeted by 84.5%. Traditional markets like Japan also saw significant declines (-38.6%). While exports to the United States showed resilience with a 27.9% increase, this growth was insufficient to offset losses elsewhere.

Sustained growth in imports

Conversely, EU imports of these special garments grew robustly. Import value increased by 61.7%, reaching €84.7 million by 2025. Quantity imported grew by 22.9%, suggesting both increased demand and a rise in the average price of imported goods. The composition of import sources evolved significantly. While China remained the largest supplier, its share was relatively stable. The most dramatic growth came from the United Arab Emirates (+1,281.7%) and Bangladesh (+538.6%), which emerged as major suppliers by 2025.

The reversal of the trade balance

The combination of falling exports and rising imports caused the EU's trade balance to swing dramatically. The balance shifted from a surplus of €443.9 million in 2015 to a deficit of €217.4 million in 2025, a 51.0% deterioration. The net import reliance metric quantifies this stark reversal, moving from -30.8% in 2015 to 74.4% in 2025, confirming the EU's transition to being a major net importer in this product category.

2. Shifting Geographies of Trade

The underlying cause of the EU's structural trade shift is a profound reorientation of its trade partnerships, both for imports and exports. This geographic reshuffling reflects broader trends in global textile and apparel value chains.

The fragmentation of EU export markets

The concentration of EU exports, as measured by the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) for value, decreased from 1,260 to 1,114, indicating a diversification away from a few dominant destinations. However, this diversification was born from the collapse of previous hubs. The decline of Hong Kong as an export gateway to Asia is particularly noteworthy. Meanwhile, new growth poles emerged. Exports to Ukraine grew by 209.9%, and the United Kingdom became a more significant market post-Brexit, with its import share from the EU increasing by 110.4%.

The diversification of EU import sources

On the import side, while China remained the largest single supplier, the market became less concentrated. The import HHI fell significantly from 1,778 to 1,028. This reflects the rise of alternative suppliers. The United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh transitioned from minor roles to top-five suppliers, illustrating a potential shift in sourcing towards South and West Asia. Imports from India and the United States also grew steadily.

Volatility and supply shocks

Trade in these specialized garments exhibited notable volatility, with certain routes experiencing extreme fluctuations. The coefficient of variation was particularly high for exports to smaller markets like Ceuta (1.19) and Tunisia (1.88). The period also saw several significant price shocks. The most abnormal event was an 187% price shift in exports to Pakistan in 2022, though it represented a negligible share of total value. More impactful were sharp price spikes in exports to Hong Kong (+235% in 2021) and China (+150.6% in 2022), which may reflect pandemic-related logistics disruptions or shifts in product mix.

3. EU Internal Market Adjustment: Specialisation and Production Trends

The external trade shifts had significant repercussions within the EU, leading to adjustments in production volumes, value, and the specialisation patterns of Member States.

A production sector under pressure

The EU's domestic production of these garments did not remain unaffected. Production quantity declined by 18.0%, falling from 6.4 million kg in 2015 to 5.3 million kg in 2025. Interestingly, the production value increased by 12.1% over the same period. This divergence suggests a move towards higher-value-added segments, with producers likely focusing on more sophisticated, technical, or branded products rather than competing on volume with low-cost imports.

Divergent specialisation among Member States

Within the EU, the capability to produce and export these special garments varies greatly. In 2025, Bulgaria exhibited the highest relative specialisation (RSCA of 0.89), driven by a very high RCA, though its overall share of EU production remains small. Italy, with an RSCA of 0.54, remains the largest producer, accounting for 26.5% of EU production value despite the national decline in export volumes. At the other end, countries like Ireland and Hungary have minimal specialisation and production in this category. This landscape indicates that expertise is concentrated in a handful of traditional manufacturing hubs, primarily in Southern Europe.

The evolving role of key EU economies

The major EU economies played contrasting roles in the reconfiguration of trade. Italy and France, the largest exporters in 2015, saw their export values fall by 47.7% and 54.3% respectively. Conversely, Spain (+174.4%) and Poland (+611.7%) emerged as significant growth stories. On the import side, France became the largest importer within the EU, with its intake growing by 94.7%, while the Netherlands saw an explosive 750.4% increase. Germany and Italy, however, reduced their imports from outside the EU. This pattern suggests a reconfiguration of internal EU supply chains, with some countries becoming larger importers and others, like Poland, growing as regional production and export platforms.

Conclusion

The period 2015–2025 was transformative for the EU's trade in special garments under CN 611490. The overarching narrative is the Union's transition from a dominant net exporter to a significant net importer, a shift of historic proportions for this niche. This was precipitated by the collapse of key Asian export gateways and the simultaneous growth of imports from a diversifying set of suppliers, including new major players from the UAE and Bangladesh. Internally, the EU production sector adapted by contracting in volume but increasing in value, indicative of a potential move up the value chain. The trade landscape also reshaped itself within the EU, with traditional manufacturing leaders like Italy and France seeing reduced export dominance, while economies like Poland and Spain gained prominence. The market now exhibits lower supplier concentration for imports and higher overall import reliance, reflecting its deeper integration into global value chains but also increasing its dependency on external sources for these specialized products.