Women's Clothing Manufacturing
Companies in this industry manufacture garments for women, girls, and infants made from purchased fabric and from fabric they produce themselves. Major companies include Calvin Klein (owned by PVH), Carter's, Hanesbrands, Kate Spade, Ralph Lauren, and VF Corporation (all based in the US), along with Delta Galil (Israel), Gerry Weber (Germany), Page Industries (India), and World Co (Japan).
Global retail sales of women's apparel dominate the global clothing industry. The US generated the majority of revenue in the market in 2021 with over $165 billion, followed by China at over $160 billion, and the UK, Japan, and Germany at about $40 billion, according to Statista. China, Vietnam, and Indonesia are the largest importers of apparel.
The US industry for manufacturing women's, girls', and infants' apparel includes about 1,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $3.4 billion. The industry does not include apparel contractors that cut and sew materials owned by other companies. Women's clothing cut and sew contractors are covered in the Apparel Manufacturing profile.
Competitive Landscape
Demand is driven by consumer tastes and disposable income. The profitability of individual companies depends on efficient operations and the ability to secure contracts with clothing marketers. Small companies can compete effectively with large ones by specializing in a particular type of apparel manufacture. There are few economies of scale in manufacturing, because of the high labor content of most apparel. The US industry is concentrated: the 50 largest companies generate about 55% of revenue.
Imports account for the majority of the US market. The largest suppliers to the US are China, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, and Bangladesh. Major export markets for the US apparel manufacturers include Canada, Mexico, the UK, Japan, and China.
Products, Operations & Technology
Major products include dresses (30% of industry revenue), knit shirts and blouses (15%), leisurewear (15%), and swimwear (10%). Other products include
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