Market evolution: Tracksuits (CN 621133) — 2015–2025
Introduction
This report analyzes the evolution of the European Union's trade in men's or boys' tracksuits and other garments of man-made fibres (excluding knitted or crocheted), classified under Combined Nomenclature code 621133, for the period 2015 to 2025. The analysis is based on provided annual trade data covering imports, exports, production, and market structure. The EU market for these products is characterized by a persistent and growing trade deficit, significant shifts in sourcing geographies, increasing unit values, and a distinct consolidation and specialization of domestic production. The data reveals a market undergoing structural adjustment, influenced by evolving supply chains, cost pressures, and changing competitive dynamics within the EU.
1. An Expanding Deficit Driven by Value, Not Volume
The EU's trade in tracksuits of man-made fibres is defined by a significant and growing dependence on imports. While the overall trade deficit widened substantially, the underlying drivers of this shift are rooted in divergent trends for import and export unit prices.
The Persistent and Growing Trade Imbalance
Over the 2015-2025 period, the EU’s trade deficit for CN 621133 deepened considerably. The deficit in value grew by 36.3%, moving from €214 million in 2015 to €292 million in 2025. This expansion was not due to a surge in import volumes, which grew only modestly by 1.8% (from 19,106 tonnes to 19,455 tonnes), but was primarily fuelled by a 27.9% increase in the total value of imports, which rose to €420 million by 2025. Concurrently, EU exports experienced an 11.7% decline in quantity but a 12.2% rise in value. The data demonstrates that the deficit expansion is a story of rising prices rather than a flood of additional physical goods.
| Metric (2015 vs. 2025) | 2015 | 2025 | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trade Balance (EUR) | -214,048,813 | -291,788,759 | -36.3% |
| Import Value (EUR) | 327,965,842 | 419,612,906 | +27.9% |
| Import Quantity (tonnes) | 19,105.7 | 19,455.3 | +1.8% |
| Export Value (EUR) | 113,917,029 | 127,824,147 | +12.2% |
| Export Quantity (tonnes) | 3,045.6 | 2,688.3 | -11.7% |
Diverging Price Trajectories for Imports and Exports
A key dynamic is the divergence in unit values between imports and exports. The average price of imported tracksuits (in EUR per tonne) rose by 25.6%, reaching €21,562 per tonne in 2025. Export prices, however, increased more sharply by 27.0% to €47,490 per tonne. This indicates that while the EU is paying more for its imports, it is successfully exporting at a significantly higher price point, suggesting a focus on higher-value segments or more specialized products in the export basket. The growing gap between the export and import price per tonne (€25,928 in 2015 vs. €25,928 in 2025, a stable high premium) underscores this stratification.
2. Geographical Reconfiguration of Supply Chains
The period witnessed a clear reconfiguration of the EU's import sources for tracksuits, with a decline in traditional near-shore partners and a rise in more distant, cost-competitive Asian suppliers.
The Decline of Traditional Mediterranean Partners and the UK
Imports from several established partners showed stagnation or decline. Tunisia, a historically significant source, saw its exports to the EU fall by 10.7% in value. The most dramatic decline was from the United Kingdom, post-Brexit; the value of UK tracksuit exports to the EU collapsed by 50.8%, from €17.1 million to €8.4 million. This reshoring of trade patterns likely reflects both new tariff barriers and the UK's shifting role in EU supply chains.
The Ascent of Asian Manufacturing Hubs
In contrast, Asian suppliers solidified their dominance. China remained the largest single source, with imports growing by 18.1% to €138 million. The most spectacular growth came from Bangladesh, where import value surged by 246.4% (from €9.9 million to €34.3 million), and Türkiye, with a 437.7% increase (from €2.8 million to €15.3 million). Vietnam (+39.9%) and Morocco (+30.2%) also recorded strong growth. This shift points to a continued pursuit of cost efficiency, with Bangladesh emerging as a major beneficiary in the mid-market segment.
| Top Import Partners | Value 2015 (EUR) | Value 2025 (EUR) | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 116,422,936 | 137,537,890 | +18.1% |
| Tunisia | 63,330,261 | 56,572,773 | -10.7% |
| Bangladesh | 9,904,341 | 34,305,711 | +246.4% |
| Viet Nam | 29,739,457 | 41,614,075 | +39.9% |
| United Kingdom | 17,082,400 | 8,399,718 | -50.8% |
| Türkiye | 2,840,795 | 15,275,256 | +437.7% |
General Overview: Top Partners by Value (Imports)
Stability and Growth in Key Export Markets
On the export side, the United Kingdom remained the EU's primary non-EU market, though its share saw a slight decline (-10.5% in value). More dynamic growth was recorded in exports to Switzerland (+68.8%) and the United States (+54.0%). Notably, exports to Albania grew by 216.9%, suggesting an emerging role for near-shoring or specialized supply relationships. This indicates the EU's export strength lies in servicing demanding, high-income neighbouring markets.
3. Price Inflation, Production Consolidation, and Specialization
Beneath the top-line trade figures lies a story of significant price inflation across product sub-segments and a dramatic restructuring of the EU's domestic production landscape towards higher-value, specialized output.
Steep Price Increases Across All Imported Sub-Categories
The import price data reveals that inflation was broad-based across all sub-products. The most extreme increases were observed in the import prices for lined tracksuit bottoms (CN 62113342), where the price per tonne skyrocketed from €22,435 in 2015 to €27,612 in 2025, a cumulative rise of 23.1%, but with a volatile peak of €31,244 in 2024. Industrial/occupational clothing (CN 62113310), the largest sub-category by volume, saw a more moderate but sustained price increase of 27.5% to €20,143 per tonne. This pervasive inflation aligns with global trends in raw material costs, logistics, and wages.
A Downsized EU Production Sector Focused on Value
EU production underwent a fundamental transformation. While the number of items produced plummeted by 64.4% (from 103.7 million pieces in 2015 to 36.9 million in 2025), the total production value declined by only 2.0% (from €888 million to €870 million). This stark contrast signifies a massive increase in the average value per item produced domestically—a clear shift from volume-driven to value-driven manufacturing. The industry has contracted in scale but intensified its focus on higher-margin products.
Geographic Specialization Within the EU
Production within the EU is now highly concentrated and specialized. Data on revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that smaller member states like Croatia, Estonia, and Malta have the highest specialization in this product category (high RCA scores), though their absolute share of total EU production is minor. Meanwhile, the largest importers within the EU—France, Germany, Italy, and Spain—are also the bloc's major production centers, albeit with varying degrees of specialization. This suggests a division of labour where large economies host scaled production, while smaller economies may cater to niche segments or specific supply chain functions.
Market Structure: Specialisation
Conclusion
The EU market for men's tracksuits of man-made fibres (CN 621133) between 2015 and 2025 has been reshaped by three interconnected forces: a widening trade deficit fueled by value rather than volume, a major geographical shift in import sourcing from the Mediterranean and UK towards Asia, and a domestic production sector that has drastically reduced output volume while sharply increasing the value of its remaining output. The market is characterized by high price sensitivity for imports and a successful focus on higher-value exports and production. Key vulnerabilities include significant import reliance (net import reliance stands at 25.0%) and concentration in specific Asian supply chains. The future trajectory will likely be influenced by global cost dynamics, the resilience of these new supply chains, and the ability of EU producers to continue their value-added specialization in the face of intense import competition.