Statistical information
Mexico is the 5th largest exporter of Apparel and Textile products to the United States
Did you know Mexico is the fifth largest exporter of Textile (Chapters 50-60*) and Apparel (Chapters 61-63*) products to the United States in 2021?
Mexico also became the largest exporter of denim trousers to the United States with exports evaluated in 144.6 md.
From January to March 2021, Mexico exported 1,613 millions of dollars in Textile and Apparel products. The main importers were the United States (85%), El Salvador (4.3%), Nicaragua (1.7%), Canada (1.3%) and Guatemala (1%).
According to the sub-sector, Mexican exports were delivered to the following countries:

PARTICIPATION OF MEXICAN EXPORTS BY COUNTRY, January – March 2021 |
|||
---|---|---|---|
TEXTILE | APPAREL | ||
Country | Participation | Country | Participation |
UNITED STATES | 62% | UNITED STATES | 91% |
NICARAGUA | 8% | EL SALVADOR | 4% |
EL SALVADOR | 4% | CANADA | 0.8% |
HONDURAS | 4% | GUATEMALA | 0.4% |
COLOMBIA | 3% | COLOMBIA | 0.4% |
GUATEMALA | 3% | CHILE | 0.3% |
OTHERS | 16% | OTHERS | 3% |
CANAINTEX Analysis
Exports of Apparel and Textile Products from Mexico

In 2020, Mexico exported 5,820 millions of dollars in Apparel and Textile products, comprising 82% Apparel and 18% Textil.
From January to March 2021, México exported 1,613 millions de dollars in Apparel and Textile products, representing an increase of +12% from the same period of the last year.
These exports comprised 80% of apparel and 20% of textile products.
CANAINTEX Analysis
List of Main Textile Exports to the United States
From 2019 to 2021, the United States imported from Mexico 1,878 millions of dollars in Textile products.
Overall, the main exports were Technical Textiles (HS 5911), Yarn (Chapters 50, 51, 52, 54 and 55), Nonwoven (HS 5601, 5602 and 5603) and Fabrics (Chapters 50, 51, 52, 53 and 55).
From January to March 2021, Mexico exported 239 millions of dollars in Textile products to the United States.
During this period, the main exports were Technical Textiles (HS 5911), Nonwoven (HS 5601, 5602 y 5603), Yarn (Chapters 50, 51, 52, 54 y 55) and Carpets (HS 5701, 5702, 5703, 5704 and 5705).


Source: OTEXA
CANAINTEX Analysis
List of Main Apparel Exports to the United States
From 2019 to March 2021, the United States imported from Mexico 8,780 millions of dollars in Apparel products.
Overall, the main exports were Trousers (HS 6203 and 6204), followed by Surgical Drapes (HS 6307), T-shirts (HS 6109) and Track Suits (HS 6112 and 6211).
From January to March 2021, the United States imported 957 millions of dollars in Apparel products from Mexico.
During this period, the main exports were Trousers (HS 6203 and 6204), followed by Surgical Drapes (HS 6307), T-shirts (HS 6109) and Curtains and bed valances (HS 6303).


Source: OTEXA
CANAINTEX Analysis
Imports of Apparel and Textile Products to Mexico

In 2020, Mexico imported 7,736 millions of dollars in Textile and Apparel products, corresponding to 47% Textile and 53% Apparel.
From January to March 2021, Mexico imported 2,040 millions of dollars in Apparel and Textile products. This amount comprised 51% of Apparel and 49% of Textile products.
CANAINTEX Analysis
Apparel and Textile Trade Balance, Mexico

The Balance of Trade allows to identify the total amount of imports and exports from a country:
- If imports are higher than exports, then there’s a trade deficit .
- If exports are higher than imports, then there’s a trade surplus.
In the last six years, Mexico displayed a trade deficit in the Textile, Apparel and Leather sectors.
In 2020, the deficit rose to -3,507 millions of dollars, while from January to February 2021, the deficit mounted to -649 millions of dollars diminishing in -34.5% from 2020.
Textile, Apparel and Leather imports decreased by -13.8% from January to February of 2021 compared to the same period of 2020. On the other side, exports increased by +3.8% during the same period.
Source: INEGI
CANAINTEX Analysis
Apparel and Textile GDP
During the fourth Trimester of 2020, the manufacturing industry provided 2,861 billions of pesos to Mexico’s GDP.
The Apparel and Textile sector, combining the formal and informal economy, accounted for 7.1% of the manufacturing GDP.
Due to SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Apparel and Textile industries suffered a large fall in the II Trimester of 2020, providing only 4.4% of the manufacturing GDP, its lowest level since 2015.

Source: INEGI and ENOE
CANAINTEX Analysis
Apparel and Textile GDP, by sector
Because of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic, Apparel and Textile GDP presented a cumulative annual variation of -30.8% in the Fourth Trimester of 2020.
In the IV Trimester of 2020, the Apparel and Textile industry provided 78,605 millions of pesos to the national GDP (constant prices of 2013).
Overall, Apparel manufacturing provided 57% of the industry’s GDP, followed by Manufacturing of Textile Inputs and Completed Textiles with 26% and Manufacturing of Textile Products with 17%.

APPAREL AND TEXTILE GDP, BY SECTOR – ANNUAL CUMULATIVE VARIANCE | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020/04 | ||
Total | 3.3% | 2.6% | 2.1% | 2.2% | -0.3% | -8.2% | |
Manufacturing | 2.9% | 1.6% | 2.8% | 1.9% | 0.6% | -10.0% | |
Textile-Apparel Sector | 4.9% | 0.0% | -1.8% | 2.5% | -3.5% | -30.8% | |
313 Manufacturing of Textile Inputs and completed Textiles | 5.5% | 0.4% | -2.3% | 2.4% | 4.1% | -30.5% | |
314 Manufacturing of Textile Products, excluding Apparel | 6.0% | 3.9% | -10.2% | 7.8% | -3.7% | -13.9% | |
315 Manufacturing of Apparel | 4.3% | -1.1% | 0.5% | 1.5% | 3.2% | -34.6% |
Source: INEGI
CANANINTEX Analysis
Formal Employment by StateDecember 2020
December 2020
The Apparel and Textile chain is a pillar of regional development, due to the employment generated in each state of the country.
In March 2021, the sector comprised 398,365 formal jobs.
Formal employment in the Textile industry are mainly located in the State of Mexico, Puebla and Hidalgo. On the other side, formal employment in the Apparel industry are mainly located in Coahuila de Zaragoza, Chihuahua, State of Mexico, Mexico City and Puebla.
TEXTILE | APPAREL | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Federal entity | Formal jobs | Federal entity | Formal jobs | |
1 | State of Mexico |
26,077 | Coahuila de Zaragoza | 46,695 |
2 | Puebla | 23,920 | Chihuahua | 37,302 |
3 | Hidalgo | 11,945 | State of Mexico | 25,062 |
4 | Mexico City |
8,046 | Mexico City | 19,643 |
5 | Guanajuato | 7,334 | Puebla | 19,530 |
6 | Tlaxcala | 7,078 | Aguascalientes | 13,999 |
7 | Baja California | 5,498 | Yucatan | 13,981 |
8 | Jalisco | 4,345 | Baja California | 13,005 |
9 | Morelos | 3,897 | Guanajuato | 10,882 |
10 | Yucatán | 3,858 | Jalisco | 10,392 |
11 | Querétaro | 3,559 | Durango | 9,950 |
12 | San Luis Potosi | 2,434 | Tamaulipas | 8,937 |
Others | 10,707 | Others | 50,279 | |
Total | 118,708 | Total | 279,657 |
Source: IMSS
CANAINTEX Analysis
Formal Employment During the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Pandemic
Since the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic to March 2021, the industry lost –45,816 formal jobs.
The lowest level of formal employment was registered in August with only 395,875 job positions, followed by December with 396,639 jobs.
During the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic up to 55,000 formal jobs had been lost.
In 2021, +1,726 formal jobs have been recovered compared to the end of 2020.

Source: IMSS
CANAINTEX Analysis