The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF)’s 30th Global Textile Industry Survey for January 2025 reveals cautious optimism in the textile value chain. While the global business balance remains negative at -15 percentage points (pp), there has been a steady improvement since November 2024.
South America leads with a positive balance of +21pp, and garment manufacturers have also seen a turnaround, reporting +3pp.
Looking ahead, 43 per cent of participants expect conditions to improve within the next six months, lifting the global outlook to a positive balance of +29pp. South America and spinners are particularly optimistic, with balances of +46pp and +45pp, respectively.
Order intake continues to recover, with January 2025 figures showing a balance of -6pp after 14 months of progress. South Asia and South America perform strongly, and the global order backlog has increased to 2.5 months.
However, challenges remain, including a global capacity utilization rate of 72 per cent, weak demand, and geopolitical risks. Despite these pressures, order cancellations are low, and inventory levels have remained stable.
