Market evolution: Textile gloves not knitted (CN 6216) — 2015–2025

Introduction

This report examines the evolution of EU trade in non-knitted textile gloves (Combined Nomenclature code 6216) over the 2015–2025 period. The analysis is based on trade data between the European Union and non-EU countries, focusing on values, volumes, prices, partner dynamics, and market structure. Over this decade, the market has experienced significant structural shifts, characterized by rising trade values coupled with declining physical quantities, a notable realignment of supply chains, and an increasing vulnerability to external shocks.

The Overview section provides the foundational data for this analysis.

A Decade of Price-Driven Trade Growth

Despite fluctuations in the physical volume of goods traded, the overall market expanded significantly in value terms between 2015 and 2025. This growth was primarily driven by increasing unit prices, indicating a shift in the product mix or rising input costs.

Import Values Grew Modestly While Export Values Surged

The EU's import value of CN 6216 grew by 10.8%, from €197.5 million in 2015 to €218.8 million in 2025. However, the volume of imports in tonnes declined by 2.5% over the same period. This divergence is explained by a 13.7% rise in the average import price per tonne.

Export performance was more dynamic. The value of EU exports rose by 36.8% (from €31.1 million to €42.5 million), even as the quantity exported fell by 5.9%. The average export price per tonne increased dramatically by 45.0%, highlighting a potential move towards higher-value-added products. When measured in pairs (the supplementary unit), the decline in exported quantity was even more pronounced at -23.8%, while the price per pair surged by 79.4%.

The persistent trade deficit widened slightly from €166.4 million to €176.4 million (-6.0%), underscoring the EU's structural role as a net importer in this category.

Shifting Supply Chains and Evolving Partner Concentration

The geographic concentration of EU trade in textile gloves has changed, reflecting broader shifts in global sourcing and destination markets. While China remains the dominant supplier, its share has decreased, with trade diversifying towards other Asian economies.

China's Import Dominance Erodes as Southeast Asia Gains Ground

China was the largest source of EU imports throughout the period, but its share fell from €128.0 million (64.8% of total import value) in 2015 to €124.0 million (56.7%) in 2025. Meanwhile, imports from Vietnam grew by 32.0% to €35.7 million, and those from Indonesia surged by 70.0% to €19.1 million. Cambodia, from a small base, saw explosive growth of 381.2%. This trend is further confirmed by a decrease in the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) for import concentration from 4,484 to 3,674, indicating a less concentrated and more diversified import base.

Export Markets Show Divergent Trends

The UK remained the EU's primary export destination but saw its share decline from €9.7 million to €8.0 million (-17.5%). In contrast, exports to Switzerland grew by 137.4% to become the second-largest market. Exports to Ukraine exhibited extreme volatility, growing by 275.5% overall but peaking in 2022. Meanwhile, exports to Russia collapsed by 71.8%, falling from €1.7 million to just €0.5 million.

Increased Vulnerability and Market Shocks

The period was marked by a growing dependency on foreign suppliers and significant price volatility, culminating in major supply shocks in 2022 linked to geopolitical and pandemic-related disruptions.

Net Import Reliance Reached an All-Time High

The EU's net import reliance as a percentage of apparent consumption increased from 78.8% in 2015 to a peak of 96.3% in 2024, before settling at 91.1% in 2025. This indicates that the EU's own production has become increasingly insufficient to meet domestic demand, heightening exposure to global supply chain disruptions.

2022 Witnessed Notable Price Shocks

The year 2022 was a focal point for market disruption. An anomalously large price shock was detected in EU exports to Ukraine, with prices surging by 242.6%. This was likely linked to the outbreak of war and urgent humanitarian demand. More significantly, import prices from China, the dominant supplier, spiked by 41.1% in the same year, affecting over 85% of the import market by value. This shock reflects the cascading effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on logistics and production costs. The volatility analysis shows that the United Kingdom was the most unstable import partner (CV=1.02) due to sharp post-Brexit adjustments, while Sri Lanka showed the highest volatility among minor suppliers (CV=2.13).

Conclusion

The EU market for non-knitted textile gloves (CN 6216) over 2015-2025 can be characterized by three main dynamics: a value-driven expansion fueled by rising unit prices against a backdrop of stagnating or declining physical trade volumes; a tangible diversification of import sources away from China towards Vietnam, Indonesia, and other Southeast Asian nations; and a marked increase in the market's vulnerability, evidenced by a historic peak in import dependency and severe price shocks in 2022. These trends suggest an industry facing cost pressures and significant supply chain risks, while simultaneously adapting to new sourcing landscapes. Future resilience will depend on managing price inflation, further diversifying supply, and potentially boosting strategic domestic production.