Global Apparel Business Trends and Overview

The global apparel market is projected to grow in value from 1.3 trillion U.S. dollars in 2015
to about 1.5 trillion dollars in 2020, showing that the demand for clothing and shoes is on the
rise across the world. The regional distribution of the demand share of apparel is expected to
stay mostly consistent in that period, although the Asia Pacific region had the highest level of
growth at four percent. The three world regions with the largest apparel markets are
 The 28 member states of the European Union,
 United States, and China, in descending order.

In 2017, the apparel category with the highest level of global market growth was sportswear at
6.8 percent.

There are four main product categories for the apparel and footwear market:
 womenswear,
 menswear,
 sportswear, and
 Children swear.

Womenswear was the bestselling apparel category in the world as of 2017, with sales of about
643 billion U.S. dollars. The United States alone generated 115 billion U.S. dollars in
womenswear sales, and about 86 billion dollars in menswear sales.

Another important category with a high level of growth is the sports apparel market, which was
valued at about 155.2 billion in 2018.

There is also a thriving market for pre-owned or second-hand clothing through vintage stores,
thrift store, or consignment stores. This apparel resale market value increased from 20 billion
U.S. dollars to 24 billion dollars between 2017 and 2018.

Denim, a classic staple of a casual wardrobe, is only getting more popular across every type of
clothing-item.

Although there are countless apparel retailers across the world, both big and small, the biggest
companies control the majority of the market. As of 2017, the three top selling apparel and
footwear retailers were TJX Companies, Inditex, and H&M. In terms of casual apparel, The
Gap, Inc. was the top selling retailer, with sales of about 16.5 billion U.S. dollars. Luxury
clothing, on the other hand, was led in sales by LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.E., an
enormous French luxury goods conglomerate. In terms of individual brands, some of the most
valuable brands in the world include Nike, H&M, Zara, Adidas, and Hermes

Retail sales of the global apparel and footwear market 2017-2030

The size of the global apparel and footwear market in 2019 was 1.9 trillion U.S. dollars, and
this was forecast to reach 3.3 trillion U.S. dollars by 2030.

Md. Rezaul Karim, DoTEM, BUTEX

Apparel market in Asia to grow
Further forecasts suggest that the global apparel market could alone be valued at around 1.52
trillion U.S. dollars in 2020, with the largest demand share set to come from the Asia Pacific
region. As of 2018, the United States generated the highest revenue from the apparel market,
followed by China, India, and Japan – highlighting the emerging markets in Asia.

Sportswear brands pushing apparel market

The sportswear market is one of the key apparel markets worldwide: it was valued at 265
billion U.S. dollars in 2019 and was predicted to increase by around 80 percent by 2025.
Sportswear is made from materials that improve agility and offer comfort, specifically
designed to aid performance during physical activities. Nike was the leading sportswear
company worldwide in 2019, with sales generating more than 39 billion U.S. dollars.

Apparel market growth forecast worldwide

The global clothing and apparel market reached a value of nearly $758.4 billion in 2018, having
grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5% since 2014, and is expected to grow
at a CAGR of 11.8% to nearly $1,182.9 billion by 2022.

This report describes and evaluates the global clothing and apparel market. It covers two five-
year periods, 2014 to 2018, termed the historic period, and 2018 through 2022, the forecast
period.

Growth in the historic period resulted from emerging markets growth and technological
advances. Factors that negatively affected growth in the historic period were a lack of resources
and increasing inventory levels. Going forward, the growth of e-commerce and favourable
government regulations on apparel manufacturing will drive growth. Factors that could hinder
the growth of the clothing and apparel market in the future include reductions in free trade and
the growing production of counterfeit products.

The clothing and apparel market is segmented by type of apparel into women's wear, men's
wear and kid's wear. Women's wear was the largest segment of the clothing and apparel market
by type of apparel in 2018 at 55.7%. The men's wear market is expected to be the fastest-
growing segment going forward at a CAGR of 16.4%.

The women's wear market is segmented by type of apparel into dresses & skirts, trousers,
blouses, jerseys, sweatshirts & pullovers, coats & jackets, suits & ensembles, sports &
swimwear, t-shirts & singlets, night & underwear (women & girls) and blazers and others.
Dresses & skirts were the largest segment of the women's wear market in 2018 at 23.3%.

The men's wear market is segmented by type of apparel into trousers, shirts, jerseys, sweatshirts
& pullovers, coats & jackets, blazers, and suits, night & underwear( men's and boys), t-shirts

Md. Rezaul Karim, DoTEM, BUTEX

& singlets, sports & swimwear and others. Trousers were the largest segment of the men's wear
market by type of apparel in 2018 at 35.4%.

The kid's wear market is segmented by type of apparel into infant and toddler clothes, and
young children clothes. Young children clothes were the largest segment of the kid's wear
market by type of apparel in 2018 at 68.1%.

Asia-Pacific was the largest market for apparel, accounting for 45.6% of the global market in
2018. It was followed by Western Europe, North America and then the other regions. Going
forward, the fastest-growing regions in the clothing and apparel market will be Asia-Pacific
and Africa, where growth will be at CAGRs of 15.4% and 14.3% respectively. These will be
followed by the Middle East and South America, where the markets are expected to grow at
CAGRs of 14.0% and 11.6% respectively.

The clothing and apparel market is highly fragmented, with a large number of small players.
The top ten players constitute 8.07% of the market. Major players in the market include NIKE,
Inc., Adidas AG, PVH Corp., VF Corporation, and Hanesbrands Inc.

The global apparel and leather products market, of which the clothing and apparel market is a
segment, reached a value of nearly $1,050.2 billion in 2018, having grown at a compound
annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.6% since 2014, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.4%
to nearly $1,623.0 billion by 2022.

The clothing and apparel market was the largest segment of the global apparel and leather
products market. The leather and allied products segment was the second largest segment,
accounting for 27.8% of the total. The apparel segment is expected to be the fastest growing
segment in the apparel and leather products market at a CAGR of 11.8% during 2018-2022.

The top opportunities in the global clothing and apparel market will arise in the men's wear
segment, which will gain $256.6 billion of global annual sales by 2022. The clothing and
apparel market size will gain the most in China at $193.4 billion. Market-trend-based strategies
for the clothing and apparel market include collaborating with technology companies, adopting
robotics and automation in their production process to reduce production costs and increase
quality, using natural materials to produce apparel, and using 3D knitting machines to reduce
manufacturing costs. Player-adopted strategies in the apparel industry include strengthening
product portfolio through innovations and strengthening position in the global market through
strategic partnerships and acquisitions, among other

Md. Rezaul Karim, DoTEM, BUTEX

Percentage sales growth in the fashion industry worldwide in 2020
This statistic from a report published by McKinsey displays the forecasted sales growth in the
fashion industry worldwide for 2020, by region. For 2020, the expected sales growth in the
Asia Pacific emerging market was from six to seven percent, which was 3 percent above the
growth in the total fashion industry which was forecast to be from three to four percent. The
mature Europe region was expected to grow by between one and two percent which was the
lowest sales growth of all the regions in this statistic.

Total revenue of the global sports apparel market 2012-2025

The global sports apparel market generated around 181 billion U.S. dollars in revenue in 2019,
an increase of more than seven billion U.S. dollars on the previous year. Rising revenues are
forecast to continue and estimated to reach around 208 billion U.S. dollars in 2025.

Battle of the brands

Competition is set to intensify as brands fight for a bigger share of the sports apparel market.
Nike and adidas were the leading sportswear companies worldwide in 2018/2019, generating
combined revenues of around 64 billion U.S. dollars. The more established brands are being
challenged by relative newcomers, such as Under Armour and lululemon – founded in 1996
and 1998, respectively. The growth of athletic apparel brand lululemon has been particularly
impressive: net revenue exceeded 3.25 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, increasing by around 25
percent on the previous year.

Is sportswear the everyday apparel of choice?

In recent years, the sports apparel and athletic wear markets have benefitted from changing
consumer trends. A growing interest in health and wellbeing has led to increased participation
in fitness activities. There is also a greater demand for clothes that are both stylish and
comfortable, from men and women who have busier lives than before. In the United States, 64
percent of adults said they wore sports clothes and sports shoes as part of their everyday life.

Revenue of the men's & boys' apparel market worldwide by country 2018
While women may still be the biggest fashion spenders, it’s the men who lead the race in
terms of market growth and this is true across all fashion segments including luxury. In fact
according to an article in the Vogue magazine, sales of high-end menswear grew faster than
womenswear for three consecutive years leading upto 2018. Moreover brands such as Stella
McCartney and Isabel Marant, which have historically been focused solely on women have
now launched their collections for men. On the retail side of things, Nordstrom launched its
men’s flagship store in New York in 2018.

Even though China has made rapid progress in global fashion, the U.S. still remains the largest
market for men’s and boy’s apparel, with India, Japan and the UK making up the top five. The
convenience offered by online shopping not to mention the increasing range of products on
offer, are the key factors encouraging men to shop for apparel. The U.S. fashion e-Commerce

Md. Rezaul Karim, DoTEM, BUTEX

market is expected to increase from 60.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2016 to almost 100 billion U.S.
dollars in 2021. Macy’s, Amazon, Gap and Nordstrom are the leading e-tailers in this space.

Size of the global kid's apparel market in 2018 and 2023

In 2018, the global children's wear market was valued at approximately 169 billion U.S.
dollars. This market was forecast to reach a value of 239 billion U.S. dollars by 2023.

Market size of the global work clothing market 2019-2023

This statistic depicts the value of the wear to work apparel market worldwide from 2019 to
2023. In 2019, the global wear to work clothing market was valued at approximately 250 billion
U.S. dollars.

Size of the sports apparel and footwear markets worldwide in 2018

The combined value of the global sports apparel and footwear markets was 285.7 billion U.S.
dollars in 2018, with the apparel market accounting for 155.2 billion U.S. dollars of that total.

The global sports market

The value of the worldwide sports market, which also includes equipment and bike sales,
reached approximately 471 billion U.S. dollars in 2018. The United States was the leading
country in terms of market value, generating around 152 billion U.S. dollars in sales – China,
Japan, Germany, and France completed the top five. These five countries accounted for a 57
percent share of the global sports market that year.

What is the difference between sportswear and active wear?

Sportswear refers to clothing and footwear that are specifically designed for sports purposes.
The items will have certain attributes that aim to improve performance, such as thermal
properties or enhanced breathability. Active wear – also known as athleisure – is the term given
to items that can be worn for sports but also for everyday activities, such as going for a coffee
or downtown, providing both comfort and style.

Market size of the global denim market 2019-2023

This statistic depicts the value of the denim market worldwide from 2019 to 2023. In 2019,
the global denim market was valued at approximately 90 billion U.S. dollars.

Global women's fitness apparel market size from 2017 to 2025

The worldwide women's active wear market was valued at approximately 119.08 billion U.S.
dollars in 2017. This market was forecast to reach a value of 216.9 billion U.S. dollars by 2025.

Sales of the leading apparel/footwear retailing companies worldwide 2019

In 2019, Inditex, was the largest apparel/footwear retailing company in the world with about
31.6 billion U.S. dollars’ worth of sales.

Revenues of the largest global apparel companies in 2019

This ranking depicts the largest global apparel companies worldwide by revenue in 2019. In
2019, VF Corporation was the largest apparel company worldwide with revenues of
approximately 11.7 billion U.S. dollars.

Md. Rezaul Karim, DoTEM, BUTEX

Global sales of the top luxury apparel, accessories and footwear companies
2019
This statistic shows the leading companies operating in the luxury and aspirational apparel,
accessories and footwear industry worldwide in 2019, based on sales. In the period from
August 2018 to August 2019, LVMH generated approximately 57.1 billion U.S. dollars in
sales.

Value of the leading global apparel brands 2020

This statistic shows the value of the leading ten apparel brands worldwide in 2020. In that
year, Nike was the top ranked apparel brand in the world with a brand value of approximately
34.79 billion U.S. dollars.

Global Apparel Industry

Despite the current global economic downturn, the global apparel industry continues to grow
at a healthy rate and this, coupled with the absence of switching costs for consumers and
great product differentiation, means that rivalry within the industry is no more than moderate.
The apparel industry is of great importance to the economy in terms of trade, employment,
investment and revenue all over the world. This particular industry has short product life
cycles, vast product differentiation and is characterized by great pace of demand change
coupled with rather long and inflexible supply processes.

Even well-established brands, such as Nike, have to work hard to maintain their share of the
market. In 2019, Nike's global revenue amounted to 39.1 billion U.S. dollars; an increase of
around three billion U.S. dollars from the prior fiscal year. Consumers are demanding more
versatile wear with wider functionality, which means retailers continue producing new styles
of apparel for men and women.

Apparel remains largely a discretionary purchase compared to other consumer goods, making
it more prone to economic shocks. The global apparel market has been shaped by three
contrasting regional movements - robust growth in emerging markets, fragile recovery in the
United States, and a sharp slowdown in Western Europe.

Value of the clothing resale market worldwide from 2012 to 2024

This statistic shows the market value of the apparel resale market worldwide from 2012 to
2024. In 2019, the global market value of second-hand and resale apparel was estimated to be
worth 28 billion U.S. dollars.

Md. Rezaul Karim, DoTEM, BUTEX

The lingerie market
In 2018, the global lingerie retail market was valued at approximately 29.84 billion U.S. dollars
and it was forecast to reach a value of 49.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2025.
The lingerie market is often broken into two product categories: bras and briefs. Bras were the
leading product category within the lingerie market as of 2016, with a 55.5 percent share. Some
of the most popular lingerie retailers in the world are Victoria’s Secret and Calvin Klein.
Europe and North America held around two-thirds of the market as of 2016. In Germany, up
to 25.5 percent of women claimed to be willing to spend between 30 and 54 euros for lingerie.
The market is increasingly making efforts to be inclusive of all body types and centre its
advertising on body positivity, which are possibly attributed to the change in cultural norms.
For example, 24 percent of U.S. consumers said to have liked the inclusion of plus-size models
in lingerie advertising.

Md. Rezaul Karim, DoTEM, BUTEX