Europe’s $256 bn apparel shift squeezes low-cost exporters

Europe’s apparel import rebound is no longer a simple win for low-cost exporters.
TexPro data showed the region’s apparel imports rose to $256.32 billion in 2025, but Q1 2026 slipped 3.5 per cent year-on-year (YoY).
Europe is still buying globally yet more of the value chain is being routed through EU hubs, stricter compliance systems, warehousing networks and parcel-level customs controls.