The UK saw a marked increase in clothing imports in April 2025, reflecting a continued surge in consumer demand. According to a global apparel trade update, UK apparel imports rose by an impressive 31 per cent year-on-year in that month, reaching approximately US $1.7 billion .
This substantial growth follows earlier monthly gains, including a 12 per cent jump in March—reaching £1.419 billion (~US $1.88 billion)—and an 8.7 per cent increase recorded in April 2024.
A combination of rising consumer spending, recovering retail markets, and strong appetite for imported apparel has supported this trend.
Notably, UK online clothing sales also rose by 14 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 compared to Q1 2024, further indicating robust consumption patterns.
However, this upswing stands in contrast to the broader 2024 trend—UK clothing imports fell 7.1 per cent year-on-year to £14.612 billion—highlighting the volatile nature of global trade flows.
Imports of textile fabrics and fibres have shown mixed performance, but fabrics in particular have steadily contributed to import values in recent months
