June’s strong clothing-store performance offers a positive demand signal for fashion suppliers, although unusually weak comparisons with 2025 inflate the headline growth rate.
US clothing and accessories retailers recorded another month of sales growth in June 2026, supported by summer promotions and an early start to back-to-school shopping.
Sales at clothing and accessories stores increased 0.63% from May on a seasonally adjusted basis and rose 13.65% year on year without seasonal adjustment, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor. Clothing was the third-fastest-growing retail category annually, behind sporting goods and electronics.
Consumers keep spending
Total US retail sales, excluding automobile dealers and petrol stations, increased 0.33% month on month and 9.41% year on year in June. Core retail sales—which also exclude restaurants—rose 0.36% monthly and 10.08% annually.
June marked the ninth consecutive month of retail-sales growth. The National Retail Federation attributed the expansion to promotional events, early back-to-school purchasing, continued retailer emphasis on affordability and a resilient labour market.
The apparel category’s momentum has also strengthened progressively. Clothing and accessories sales rose 9.75% year on year in April and 10.25% in May before accelerating to 13.65% in June. Monthly sales have remained positive throughout 2026, including gains of 0.59% in April and 0.60% in May.
Base effects require caution
The annual figures should not be interpreted as equivalent unit-volume growth. NRF said June’s unusually large increases partly reflected comparison with weak sales in June 2025. After seasonal adjustment, total retail sales were 4.26% higher year on year, while core sales increased 4.23%.
The Retail Monitor is also separate from the US Census Bureau’s monthly retail survey. It is based on anonymised credit- and debit-card transactions, covering more than 140 million cards and nearly nine billion transactions representing over $500 billion in annual spending.
A constructive signal for suppliers
For apparel brands, manufacturers and sourcing partners, the data indicates healthier sell-through entering the back-to-school season. Sustained gains could support replenishment orders and improve inventory confidence, particularly in value-led clothing categories.
The next test will be whether apparel growth remains strong after summer promotions and whether higher sales reflect genuine unit demand rather than price increases, calendar effects or unusually favourable comparisons.
