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🧶 Global Trade in Textile Fibres and Wastes
The international trade of textile fibres and their wastes constitutes a vital segment of the global commodities market, serving as the fundamental raw materials for the textile and apparel industry. Analyzing this trade, typically classified under the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC), Revision 3, provides critical insights into global supply chains, material sourcing trends, and the flow of raw material waste for potential recycling or disposal.
The relevant categories for Textile fibres and their wastes in SITC Revision 3 are generally concentrated in Division 26: Textile fibres (other than wool tops) and their wastes (not manufactured into yarn or fabric). While "STIC 3" is not a recognized classification code, the user is likely referring to the 3-digit groups within SITC Division 26 that cover textile fibres.
Based on the structure of SITC Rev. 3, this category would encompass the following major groups:
Group 263: Cotton.
Group 264: Jute and other textile bast fibres, not spun; sisal and other textile fibres of the agave family; preparations of textile fibres, n.e.s.
Group 265: Vegetable textile fibres, not spun (excluding cotton, jute, sisal and other vegetable textile fibres, and coir); waste of them.
Group 266: Synthetic fibres suitable for spinning.
Group 267: Other man-made fibres suitable for spinning.
Group 268: Wool and other animal hair (excluding wool tops).
The total trade value for these groups demonstrates the scale and economic importance of both natural and man-made fibre production and the growing commerce in their associated wastes. The trade value figures for these commodity groups are recorded by the UN Comtrade database, with total global values fluctuating based on market prices, demand from downstream manufacturing (like clothing and home textiles), and global economic conditions.
📊 UN Comtrade: Key Segments of the Textile Fibres and Wastes Trade (SITC Rev. 3) - 2023
| SITC Group | Name of Segment | Primary Commodities Included | Global Export Value (Approx. 2023) | Key Trade Role |
| SITC 263 | Cotton | Raw cotton (including cotton lint, cotton waste). | $25 - $30 Billion USD | The single largest natural fibre commodity trade segment by value. |
| SITC 266 | Synthetic fibres suitable for spinning | Polyester, Nylon, Acrylics (in staple fibre form). | $12 - $15 Billion USD | Dominant man-made raw material; high trade volume due to Chinese production. |
| SITC 267 | Other man-made fibres suitable for spinning; waste of man-made fibres | Viscose (Rayon), Acetate, Lyocell, and waste/scrap of all man-made fibres. | $8 - $10 Billion USD | Includes sustainable alternatives (cellulosics) and vital recycling inputs. |
| SITC 268 | Wool and other animal hair | Raw wool (greasy and shorn), cashmere, alpaca, mohair. | $2.5 - $3.5 Billion USD | High-value, low-volume trade driven by Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. |
| SITC 264 & 265 | Vegetable textile fibres (excl. cotton) & Jute | Jute, Sisal, Flax (Linen), Hemp, Abaca. | $0.3 - $0.5 Billion USD | Niche industrial and packaging fibres; significantly smaller market value. |
| SITC 269 | Worn clothing and other worn textile articles; rags | Used garments, rags, textile scrap. | $5 - $7 Billion USD | Key segment for the second-hand clothing trade and textile recycling. |
📊 Global Trade Value of Cotton by Country (2023)
| RANK | TOP EXPORTING COUNTRY | EXPORT VALUE | TOP IMPORTING COUNTRY | IMPORT VALUE |
| 1 | China | $9.19 Billion USD | China | $9.26 Billion USD |
| 2 | United States | $6.96 Billion USD | Bangladesh | $6.55 Billion USD |
| 3 | India | $6.34 Billion USD | Vietnam | $4.66 Billion USD |
| 4 | Brazil | $3.20 Billion USD | Turkey | $2.74 Billion USD |
| 5 | Pakistan | $3.05 Billion USD | Indonesia | $1.51 Billion USD |
| 6 | Australia | $2.89 Billion USD | Italy | $1.05 Billion USD |
🌿 Global Trade Value of Vegetable Textile Fibres (Jute, Sisal, etc.) (2023)
The category Vegetable Textile Fibres generally corresponds to SITC Rev. 3 Groups 264 (Jute and other textile bast fibres) and 265 (Other vegetable textile fibres).
Trade in this sector is significantly smaller than cotton or synthetic fibres, and the trade values are typically measured in Million USD. The data below focuses on the combined category of Jute and Other Textile Fibres (HS: 5303), which includes raw jute, kenaf, sisal, and their wastes.
| RANK | TOP EXPORTING COUNTRY | EXPORT VALUE | TOP IMPORTING COUNTRY | IMPORT VALUE |
| 1 | Bangladesh | $162 Million USD | India | $94.8 Million USD |
| 2 | Tanzania | $19.4 Million USD | Pakistan | $40.3 Million USD |
| 3 | India | $18.2 Million USD | Nepal | $16.2 Million USD |
| 4 | Belgium | $4.84 Million USD | China | (Significant Volume)* |
| 5 | Kenya | (Top Exporter for Sisal - Value not specified in top 5) | Ghana | (Significant Volume - Top Sisal Importer) |
*Note: Trade values for this niche category are highly specific to the fibre type (raw vs. yarn vs. waste) and the reporting code. The data above focuses on Jute and Other Textile Fibres (HS 5303), with China's and Ghana's import values for the broad category being less clearly reported in the top ranks, though they are major importers of specific fibres like sisal.
🏭 Global Trade Value of Synthetic Fibres Suitable for Spinning (SITC 266) & Related Materials (2023)
| RANK | TOP EXPORTING COUNTRY | EXPORT VALUE | TOP IMPORTING COUNTRY | IMPORT VALUE |
| 1 | China | $1.51 Billion USD | Morocco | $317 Million USD |
| 2 | United States | $228 Million USD | Vietnam | $288 Million USD |
| 3 | Spain | $168 Million USD | Mexico | $147 Million USD |
| 4 | Germany | (Major Producer/Exporter in Europe) | China | (High Volume Importer of Specific Types) |
| 5 | Indonesia | (Major Exporter of Polyester Fibres) | Turkey | (Major Garment Manufacturer) |
🏭 Global Trade Value of Synthetic Fibres (SITC 266) & Related Materials (2023)
| RANK | TOP EXPORTING COUNTRY | EXPORT VALUE (USD) | TOP IMPORTING COUNTRY | IMPORT VALUE (USD) |
| 1 | China | $1.51 Billion | Morocco | $317 Million |
| 2 | United States | $228 Million | Vietnam | $288 Million |
| 3 | Spain | $168 Million | Mexico | $147 Million |
| 4 | Indonesia | $20.6 Million | China | $69.4 Million |
| 5 | Thailand | (Major Asian Exporter) | Turkey | (Major Garment Hub) |
🏭 Global Trade Value of Man-Made Staple Fibres (Including Viscose & Acetate) (2023)
| RANK | TOP EXPORTING COUNTRY | EXPORT VALUE | TOP IMPORTING COUNTRY | IMPORT VALUE |
| 1 | China | $13 Billion USD | Vietnam | $1.93 Billion USD |
| 2 | United States | $2.43 Billion USD | Bangladesh | $1.86 Billion USD |
| 3 | Indonesia | $1.88 Billion USD | United States | $1.77 Billion USD |
| 4 | Japan | $1.16 Billion USD | Morocco | $989 Million USD |
| 5 | Thailand | $974 Million USD | Turkey | (Major Garment Hub) |
🐑 Global Trade Value of Wool and Other Animal Hair (Raw Wool - HS 5101) (2023)
| RANK | TOP EXPORTING COUNTRY | EXPORT VALUE | TOP IMPORTING COUNTRY | IMPORT VALUE |
| 1 | Australia | $1.99 Billion USD | China | $2.02 Billion USD |
| 2 | South Africa | $312 Million USD | India | $255 Million USD |
| 3 | New Zealand | $281 Million USD | Italy | $209 Million USD |
| 4 | Argentina | (Top Exporter for Fine Hair) | Czech Republic | (Major Processor in Europe) |
| 5 | Uruguay | (Major Exporter of Premium Wool) | Turkey | (Regional Textile Hub) |
♻️ Global Trade Value of Waste of Synthetic Fibres (HS 5505.10) (2023)
| RANK | TOP EXPORTING COUNTRY | EXPORT VALUE (USD) | TOP IMPORTING COUNTRY | IMPORT VALUE (USD) |
| 1 | Netherlands | $22.2 Million | Italy | $28.0 Million |
| 2 | Belgium | $21.9 Million | Netherlands | $21.2 Million |
| 3 | United States | $18.0 Million | Germany | $20.9 Million |
| 4 | Latvia | $11.3 Million | Morocco | $17.4 Million |
| 5 | France | $10.1 Million | Ukraine | $13.6 Million |
📈 Global Growth Trends in Textile Fibres and Wastes (2022-2023)
| Fibre Category (SITC Rev. 3) | 2022-2023 Global Production Growth | Key Trend Driver | Countries Driving Trade Growth (Broader Textile/Apparel Export) |
| Synthetic Fibres (266) | +12% (Virgin Polyester up from 67M to 75M tonnes) | Lower prices for virgin fossil-based synthetics. | China (dominance in textile exports increased), Bangladesh, Vietnam (rebounding) |
| Man-Made Cellulosics (267) | +6.7% (Viscose, Lyocell, up from 7.4M to 7.9M tonnes) | Demand for sustainable alternatives to cotton/synthetics. | Indonesia, China (major producers/exporters) |
| Cotton (263) | -2.8% (Slight decline from 25.1M to 24.4M tonnes) | Climate factors, high prices, competition from synthetics. | United States, Brazil (major raw cotton exporters) |
| Wool (268) | Stable (Approx. 1 million tonnes) | Niche, high-value market driven by sustainability standards. | Australia, South Africa (primary raw wool exporters) |
| Textile Wastes (e.g., HS 5505.10) | +6.4% CAGR (Projected market growth 2022-2027) | Increased focus on the circular economy and textile recycling. | Italy, Netherlands, Germany (processing hubs) |
📈 Key Countries with High Textile Export Growth Rates (2023-2024 Trends)
| Rank | Country/Region | Primary Export Focus | Export Value 2023 (Approx.) | YoY Growth Rate (2023 or FY23) | Key Insight |
| 1 | Bangladesh | Readymade Garments (RMG) | $47 Billion USD (FY 2022-23) | +10.27% | Consolidated position as the world's 2nd largest RMG exporter, driven by low-cost structure. |
| 2 | China | Textiles (Fabrics, Fibres) | $261 Billion USD (Textiles) | +1.1% (Apparel, Q1 2024) | Maintained overall dominance in raw and intermediate textile products despite geopolitical headwinds. |
| 3 | Vietnam | Garment/High-Value Apparel | $42.1 Billion USD | -9.1% (2023 Decline) +15% (2024 Rebound) | Faced a significant 2023 dip, but showed strong rebound growth in early 2024 due to order redirection and trade agreements. |
| 4 | India | Diverse Textiles & Apparel | $37.5 Billion USD | -13% (Apparel, 2023) | Experienced a decline in 2023, but saw growth in Cotton Textiles in early FY 2024-25, targeting product diversity. |
| 5 | Egypt | Apparel & Textiles | (Smaller Base) | +30.3% (US Imports from Egypt, 2022-2023) | Benefited substantially from sourcing diversification into the Middle East/Africa region. |
🌍 Highest Importing Countries for Textile Fibres and Wastes (Overall 2023)
| RANK | COUNTRY | AGGREGATE IMPORT VALUE (SITC 26) | PRIMARY FIBRE IMPORTS |
| 1 | China | $18 - $20+ Billion USD | Cotton, Wool, Synthetic Fibres (for massive domestic processing). |
| 2 | Vietnam | $6 - $8 Billion USD | Primarily Synthetic Fibres and Cotton (supporting its vast apparel export sector). |
| 3 | Bangladesh | $5 - $7 Billion USD | Primarily Cotton and Synthetic Fibres (fueling the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry). |
| 4 | Turkey | $4 - $6 Billion USD | Primarily Cotton and Synthetic Fibres (large domestic textile production). |
| 5 | Indonesia | $3 - $4 Billion USD | Primarily Synthetic Fibres and Cotton. |
📊 UN Comtrade: High-Value Commodity Exports & Imports in Textile Fibres and Wastes (SITC 26) - 2023
| SITC Group (3-Digit) | Commodity / HS Chapter Name | Highest Export Value (Top Country) | Highest Import Value (Top Country) | Key Trade Feature |
| SITC 263 | Cotton (HS Chapter 52) | United States (~$7B USD) | China (~$9.3B USD) | Cotton is the single largest traded raw fibre commodity. |
| SITC 266 / 267 | Man-Made Staple Fibres (HS Chapter 55) | China (~$13B USD)* | Vietnam (~$1.9B USD) | Includes Polyester, Viscose, and Acrylics—the fastest-growing fibre segment. |
| SITC 268 | Wool and other animal hair (HS Chapter 51) | Australia (~$2.0B USD) | China (~$2.0B USD) | Dominated by the trade in fine Merino wool for high-end textiles. |
| SITC 264 | Jute and other bast fibres (HS Chapter 53) | Bangladesh (~$162M USD) | India (~$95M USD) | Niche trade, with values significantly lower than cotton or synthetics. |
| SITC 269 | Worn clothing and other textile articles | China (High Volume) | Pakistan (High Volume) | Critical for the global used clothing and textile recycling market. |
Conclusion
The trade in textile fibres and their wastes (SITC Div. 26) remains a powerful indicator of the health and direction of the global textile industry. While natural fibres like cotton and wool maintain significant value, the dominance of synthetic fibres (Groups 266 and 267) in overall trade value reflects industrial scale and cost-effectiveness.
Furthermore, the rise in the traded value of textile wastes—especially from synthetic and man-made fibres—highlights the industry's shift towards addressing sustainability and material circularity. As global regulations tighten and consumer demand for eco-friendly products grows, this trade segment is expected to see substantial transformation and investment in recycling technologies.