Quick answer: In 2025, China exported US$157.1 billion of clothing, 27.3% of the world total, according to the WTO. It was followed by Bangladesh (US$38.8 billion), Vietnam (US$37.5 billion), India (US$17.3 billion), Türkiye (US$16.8 billion), Cambodia (US$11.6 billion), Pakistan (US$9.9 billion) and Indonesia (US$9.2 billion). For activewear the picture shifts: Vietnam is the largest source for lululemon, Nike apparel and adidas, and 69% of the garments made by China’s larger manufacturers in 2025 were knitted.
How we ranked them
By each economy’s 2025 clothing exports, as reported in the WTO’s World Trade Statistics 2025 (Table 22, top exporters of clothing). The WTO reports the European Union as one bloc: it exported US$176.7 billion, but most of that was trade between member states, and its exports outside the EU were US$44.2 billion. We list individual countries. “Clothing” is the WTO’s product group for all apparel, and trade statistics do not report activewear as a category of its own, so each entry adds what the sources say about knitwear, the construction behind most activewear, and about where three large activewear brands make their products.
The ranking
| Rank | Country | Clothing exports 2025 (US$ bn) | Share of world exports | Change in 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 157.11 | 27.35% | −4.9% |
| 2 | Bangladesh | 38.82 | 6.76% | +0.9% |
| 3 | Vietnam | 37.51 | 6.53% | +10.5% |
| 4 | India | 17.26 | 3.00% | +5.5% |
| 5 | Türkiye | 16.81 | 2.93% | −6.1% |
| 6 | Cambodia | 11.56 | 2.01% | +16.9% |
| 7 | Pakistan | 9.91 | 1.73% | +6.8% |
| 8 | Indonesia | 9.23 | 1.61% | +5.8% |
| 9 | United States | 6.53 | 1.14% | −6.8% |
1. China — US$157.1 billion, 27.35% of the world
China exported more than four times as much clothing as any other single country, although its exports fell 4.9% in 2025. For activewear the telling figure is knitwear: China’s textile federation (CNTAC) reports that its larger manufacturers made 20.26 billion garments in 2025, of which 14.03 billion, or 69.24%, were knitted. The same report shows where the pressure is: China’s share of US knitwear imports fell from 22.13% in 2024 to 15.18% in January–September 2025, while in the EU it held 29.87% of knitwear imports in January–October 2025, 5.08 points ahead of Bangladesh. Among the brands, Nike made about 15% of its apparel in China in fiscal 2025, adidas sourced 16% of its total volume there, and 29% of the fabric in lululemon’s products came from mainland China. China is also where the largest seamless machine count we found is published: see seamless factories ranked by capacity.
2. Bangladesh — US$38.8 billion, 6.76%
Bangladesh’s garment exporters’ association, BGMEA, reports that knitwear is now its larger export: US$20.81 billion of knit against US$18.01 billion of woven in 2025. It was the second-largest supplier of knitwear to the EU after China in January–October 2025, according to CNTAC’s reading of Eurostat data. lululemon made 7% of its products there in fiscal 2025.
3. Vietnam — US$37.5 billion, 6.53%
Vietnam grew 10.5% in 2025 and is the largest source for all three brands we checked: 40% of lululemon’s products, about 31% of Nike’s apparel and 27% of adidas’s total volume. In knitwear sold to the US it has overtaken China, with 20.47% of US knit imports in January–September 2025 against China’s 15.18% (CNTAC, citing US Department of Commerce data). Some of that capacity is Chinese-owned: JASAN, a listed Chinese group and second in our seamless capacity ranking, runs about 300 Santoni seamless machines at its plant in Hung Yen.
4. India — US$17.3 billion, 3.00%
India grew 5.5% in 2025. It does not appear among the main sourcing countries that lululemon, Nike or adidas name in their reports.
5. Türkiye — US$16.8 billion, 2.93%
Türkiye’s clothing exports fell 6.1% in 2025. Its advantage for European brands is proximity: goods can reach EU and UK customers by road, so it is usually compared on speed rather than on price.
6. Cambodia — US$11.6 billion, 2.01%
Cambodia grew 16.9% in 2025, the fastest of the WTO’s top ten clothing exporters. It made 18% of lululemon’s products and about 15% of Nike’s apparel, and CNTAC notes orders moving from China to Vietnam and Cambodia.
7. Pakistan — US$9.9 billion, 1.73%
Pakistan grew 6.8% in 2025. None of the three brands names it among its main sourcing countries.
8. Indonesia — US$9.2 billion, 1.61%
Indonesia grew 5.8% in 2025. It made 11% of lululemon’s products and supplied 18% of adidas’s total volume across footwear, apparel and accessories.
9. United States — US$6.5 billion, 1.14%
The ninth individual economy in the WTO’s table; its clothing exports fell 6.8% in 2025.
Outside the top ten: Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is not in the WTO’s top ten, but it made 11% of lululemon’s products in fiscal 2025. Its Export Development Board puts 2025 apparel and textile exports at US$4.91 billion, up 5.34%; that figure combines apparel and textiles, so it is not directly comparable with the WTO clothing numbers above.
Where three activewear brands made their products
| Brand | Period | What is counted | Largest sourcing countries |
|---|---|---|---|
| lululemon | Fiscal 2025 (to 1 February 2026) | Share of products, by cost | Vietnam 40%, Cambodia 18%, Sri Lanka 11%, Indonesia 11%, Bangladesh 7% |
| Nike | Fiscal 2025 (to 31 May 2025) | Share of Nike Brand apparel | Vietnam 31%, China 15%, Cambodia 15% |
| adidas | Calendar 2025 | Share of total sourcing volume, all product categories | Vietnam 27%, Indonesia 18%, China 16% |
Garments and fabric are two different maps
A legging sewn in one country is often cut from fabric knitted in another. lululemon made 40% of its products in Vietnam in fiscal 2025, but only 10% of its fabric came from there: 34% came from Taiwan, 29% from mainland China and 10% from South Korea. When you compare countries, ask where the fabric comes from as well as where the garment is sewn, because the fabric’s origin sets part of the lead time.
What this means for a smaller brand
These are the numbers of brands that buy millions of pieces a year, from factories that plan around them. A smaller brand is choosing a factory before it is choosing a country: minimums, fabric access and who does the knitting differ more between factories than the national figures suggest. Our guide to where to make activewear compares China, Vietnam, Bangladesh and nearshore options by scenario, and low-MOQ factories, ranked shows what small first orders look like in writing. To compare prices across countries, compare landed costs: DDP shipping, explained.
Sources
| Source | What it establishes here |
|---|---|
| WTO — World Trade Statistics 2025 | Clothing exports, world shares and 2025 change (statistical annex, Table 22) |
| CNTAC — China’s knitting industry in 2025 (Chinese) | Knitted share of China’s garment output; China and Vietnam in US and EU knit imports |
| BGMEA — export performance | Bangladesh knit and woven exports, 2025 |
| Sri Lanka Export Development Board | Apparel and textile exports, 2025 |
| lululemon athletica — Form 10-K, fiscal 2025 | Manufacturing and fabric origin by country |
| NIKE, Inc. — Form 10-K, fiscal 2025 | Apparel manufacturing by country |
| adidas — Annual Report 2025, sourcing | Sourcing volume by country |
| JASAN Group — seamless apparel | Santoni machines at its Vietnam plant |
FAQ
Which country exports the most clothing?
China. It exported US$157.1 billion of clothing in 2025, 27.35% of the world total, according to the WTO. The EU as a bloc exported more, US$176.7 billion, but most of that was trade between EU members; its exports outside the EU were US$44.2 billion.
Where is most activewear made?
Trade statistics do not report activewear separately, so the brands’ own reports are the best guide. Vietnam is the largest source for lululemon (40% of products in fiscal 2025), Nike apparel (about 31%) and adidas (27% of total volume); China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh make up most of the rest of their named countries.
Is Vietnam overtaking China in clothing?
In knitwear sold to the US, yes: Vietnam held 20.47% of US knit imports in January–September 2025, ahead of China at 15.18%, according to CNTAC’s reading of US Department of Commerce data. Across all markets, China still exported more than four times as much clothing as Vietnam in 2025: US$157.1 billion against US$37.5 billion.
Which countries export the most knitwear?
China leads overall: 69.24% of the garments made by its larger manufacturers in 2025 were knitted, and it supplied 29.87% of the EU’s knitwear imports in January–October 2025, with Bangladesh second. Bangladesh’s knit exports reached US$20.81 billion in 2025, more than its woven exports. In the US market, Vietnam now leads.
Do activewear brands buy fabric from the same countries where they make garments?
Often not. lululemon made 40% of its products in Vietnam in fiscal 2025, but only 10% of its fabric came from Vietnam; 34% came from Taiwan and 29% from mainland China. Fabric origin sets part of the lead time, so ask where the fabric is made as well as where the garment is sewn.