The imports of textiles and apparel by the United States increased by 3.11 percent year-on-year to $ 59.014 billion during the first seven months of 2013, according to the Major Shippers Report, released by the U.S. Department of Customs.

Of these, apparel accounted for $ 44.701 billion, up 3.59 percent year-on-year, while non-apparel contributed $ 14.313 billion, up 1.63 percent year-on-year.

Vietnam’s textile exports to the US jumped 13.48 percent year-on-year during the seven-month period to $ 4.954 billion, whereas US imports from Bangladesh increased 9.06 percent year-on-year to $ 3.103 billion.

China continued to the top supplier of textiles to the US with its exports valued at $ 22.346 million during January to July 2013 period, registering a rise of 1.82 percent year-on-year.

India and Indonesia were the other countries among the top five textile exporters to the US during the period under review. The US imported $ 3.736 billion worth of textiles from India, showing an increase of 4 percent year-on-year.

The US textile imports from Indonesia grew 3.57 percent year-on-year to $ 3.249 billion during the same period.

Region-wise, US imports from Asean shot up 7.04 percent year-on-year to $ 11.496 billion. Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for only $ 533.943 million worth of textile imports by the US during the period under discussion.

The US textile imports from EU-28 countries rose 4.73 percent year-on-year to $ 2.277 billion, while imports from NAFTA fell 1.53 percent year-on-year to $ 3.489 billion during January to July 2013.