Vietnamese clothiers gain US import market share

Total apparel imports to the US declined by 1.9% on an MFA basis in the first six months of 2017, to US$37.2 billion from almost US$38 billion in the same period in 2016, according to the data released by the US Census Bureau.

Vietnamese clothing shipments to the US grew by 5.5% to US$5.4 billion in the period, gaining one percentage point of import market share.

Troubled brick-and-mortar retailers are experiencing a string of closures resulting in stores holding off on placing orders, which is creating a slowdown in demand, said the Census Bureau.

In addition, Vietnamese factories report that US buyers are placing smaller, more frequent orders with shorter requested lead times.