Apparel imports by the US fell by 32 percent to $6 billion in value terms in July compared to a year earlier, according to the Commerce Department’s Office of Textiles & Apparel (OTEXA). Companies imported 30.68 percent less apparel in the first seven months of the year–a period that began with the still-raging US China trade war, Chinese New Year factory closing and the global coronavirus pandemic–for a value of $33.88 billion compared to $48.87 billion for the same period in 2019, according to OTEXA.

The greatest impact has been on China, which posted a 49.34 percent year-to-date decline through July to retain its position as the top supplier with $7.35 billion worth of goods imported. In July, 50 percent less apparel, or $1.58 billion worth, was imported to the U.S. from China compared to a year earlier.

Apparel imports from Vietnam declined by 11.06 percent for the seven-month period to $6.94 billion and were down 11 percent in July compared to a year earlier to $1.29 billion. However, Vietnam did post a 2.9 percent volume increase to 393.29 million square meter equivalents (SME).

Bangladesh didn’t fare much better, with year-to-date imports down 18.54 percent to $2.91 billion and year-over-year shipments off 11 percent to $436.34 million.

Cambodia was the only country among the top 10 suppliers to register increases in year-to-date and year-over-year imports to the U.S. For the year through July, imports from Cambodia rose 6.13 percent to $1.54 billion and were up 19.2 percent in the month compared to a year earlier to $292.67 million.

Apparel imports from Ethiopia rose 24.1 percent to $20.4 million and shipments from Myanmar increased 9.8 percent to $29.89 million.