Shipments of yarn machinery to the textile industry in China fell in 2013. At the same time shipments to the industry in Vietnam soared. The fall in shipments to China reflected a shift in sourcing away from the country, and extended to short staple spindles, long staple spindles, open-end rotors and double heater false‑twist draw texturing spindles.

In the case of open-end rotors, the fall in shipments to China accounted for the entire decline in global shipments, as shipments to the industries in several other countries rose strongly. The rate of shipments to Vietnam, for instance, quadrupled. And in the case of short staple spindles and double heater false-twist spindles, shipments to the industry in Vietnam surged at triple digit rates.

These trends reflected a shift in the sourcing of textiles and clothing from China to other countries in Asia, and Vietnam in particular. The Vietnamese clothing industry hopes to benefit from a number of trade agreements. It also hopes to benefit from a diversion of orders from Bangladesh and Cambodia -- where safety or unreliability issues are undermining competitiveness -- as well as from China.