Sector Data: Apparel Trade

AGOA provides duty-free access to the US market for garments manufactured in qualifying African countries, subject to conditions. While garments are not included under the US GSP, they qualify for AGOA preferences provided that (a) countries have met the 'wearing apparel provisions' by having implemented a special apparel visa system, and subject to the specific Rules of Origin (RoO) requirements being met in the manufacture of qualifying items.

Apparel preferences are included in special provisions within Chapter 98.19 of the US tariff nomenclature.

AGOA: US Imports of Apparel under AGOA by Rule of Origin category

Click here for the table data

By Value; Unit: $ '000; Data to end FEBRUARY 2017

AGOA: US Imports of Apparel under AGOA by Rule of Origin category

By Value; Unit: $ '000; Data to end FEBRUARY 2017

		Year	Year	YTD	YTD	Year ending	Year ending	Year ending
		2015	2016	2/2016	2/2017	2/2017	1/2017	12/2016

	ALL AGOA Countries
	Total Imports from AGOA countries	1,009,580	1,024,142	160,801	150,169	1,013,510	1,015,118	1,024,142
HTS / tariff code	AGOA exports (Total of items below):	987,633	1,001,836	156,914	147,667	992,589	992,914	1,001,836
9819.11.06	Apparel cut and assembled from U.S. fabric, yarn & thread	324
9819.11.09	Apparel from regional fabric from U.S. or African yarn	10,082	8,511	941	803	8,373	8,464	8,511
9819.11.12	Apparel from foreign fabric made in a lesser developed country	941,003	960,640	150,992	142,843	952,490	950,957	960,640
9819.11.21	Apparel from fabric or yarn N/A in commercial qty (401/NAFTA)	5,778	5,594	618	834	5,810	6,034	5,594
9819.11.24	Apparel from fabric or yarn N/A in commercial qty (CITA)	29,460	26,315	4,050	3,161	25,427	26,844	26,315
9819.11.27	Handloomed, handmade and folklore articles	978	642	314	25	354	479	642
9819.11.33	Textile articles wholly formed in one or more LDC	8
9820.61.35	HOPE Act - Knit Apparel		134			134	134	134


Mali		49	39	5	10	44	47	39
Total Imports.	>>>	2
Imports under:	Trade Preference Programs (Total of items below):	2
9819.11.27	Handloomed, handmade and folklore articles


Ghana		9,204	6,255	1,103	978	6,130	6,669	6,255
Total Imports.	>>>	9,101	6,093	1,088	965	5,970	6,505	6,093
Imports under:	Trade Preference Programs (Total of items below):	324
9819.11.06	Apparel cut and assembled from U.S. fabric, yarn & thread	116
9819.11.09	Apparel from regional fabric from U.S. or African yarn	8,585	6,022	1,088	948	5,882	6,435	6,022
9819.11.12	Apparel from foreign fabric made in a lesser developed country	76	70		17	87	70	70
9819.11.27	Handloomed, handmade and folklore articles


Cabo Verde
Total Imports.	>>>
Imports under:	Trade Preference Programs (Total of items below):
9819.11.12	Apparel from foreign fabric made in a lesser developed country


Rwanda
Total Imports.	>>>
Imports under:	Trade Preference Programs (Total of items below):
9819.11.12	Apparel from foreign fabric made in a lesser developed country


Ethiopia		17,647	32,668	4,029	7,100	35,738	33,770	32,668
Total Imports.	>>>	17,267	32,312	4,015	6,979	35,275	33,322	32,312
Imports under:	Trade Preference Programs (Total of items below):		209		13	222	222	209
9819.11.09	Apparel from regional fabric from U.S. or African yarn	16,371	31,380	3,701	6,944	34,623	32,527	31,380
9819.11.12	Apparel from foreign fabric made in a lesser developed country		151		19	170	170	151
9819.11.21	Apparel from fabric or yarn N/A in commercial qty (401/NAFTA)	896	572	314	2	260	403	572
9819.11.27	Handloomed, handmade and folklore articles


Uganda		77	146	1		145	146	146
Total Imports.	>>>		30			30	30	30
Imports under:	Trade Preference Programs (Total of items below):		30			30	30	30
9819.11.09	Apparel from regional fabric from U.S. or African yarn


Kenya		368,273	339,630	62,277	53,630	330,984	332,839	339,630
Total Imports.	>>>	367,035	338,339	62,059	53,556	329,836	331,629	338,339
Imports under:	Trade Preference Programs (Total of items below):	350	109			109	109	109
9819.11.09	Apparel from regional fabric from U.S. or African yarn	366,644	338,096	62,059	53,540	329,576	331,385	338,096
9819.11.12	Apparel from foreign fabric made in a lesser developed country				17	17
9819.11.21	Apparel from fabric or yarn N/A in commercial qty (401/NAFTA)	37
9819.11.24	Apparel from fabric or yarn N/A in commercial qty (CITA)	4
9819.11.27	Handloomed, handmade and folklore articles
9819.11.33	Textile articles wholly formed in one or more LDC		134			134	134	134
9820.61.35	HOPE Act - Knit Apparel


Tanzania		27,316	36,955	3,737	5,078	38,296	37,325	36,955
Total Imports.	>>>	27,261	36,915	3,734	5,077	38,258	37,284	36,915
Imports under:	Trade Preference Programs (Total of items below):	27,261	36,915	3,734	5,077	38,258	37,284	36,915
9819.11.12	Apparel from foreign fabric made in a lesser developed country


Mauritius		215,255	197,020	32,687	21,083	185,416	196,222	197,020
Total Imports.	>>>	206,746	187,397	30,594	20,368	177,171	186,834	187,397
Imports under:	Trade Preference Programs (Total of items below):	3,032	1,440	174	220	1,487	1,523	1,440
9819.11.09	Apparel from regional fabric from U.S. or African yarn	168,505	154,206	25,753	16,185	144,638	152,603	154,206
9819.11.12	Apparel from foreign fabric made in a lesser developed country	5,778	5,442	618	796	5,621	5,864	5,442
9819.11.21	Apparel from fabric or yarn N/A in commercial qty (401/NAFTA)	29,423	26,309	4,050	3,161	25,420	26,837	26,309
9819.11.24	Apparel from fabric or yarn N/A in commercial qty (CITA)				6	6	6
9819.11.27	Handloomed, handmade and folklore articles	7
9819.11.33	Textile articles wholly formed in one or more LDC


Madagascar		48,978	102,527	11,387	23,192	114,333	109,424	102,527
Total Imports.	>>>	39,630	93,245	10,000	21,806	105,051	99,995	93,245
Imports under:	Trade Preference Programs (Total of items below):	39,630	93,238	10,000	21,802	105,040	99,987	93,238
9819.11.12	Apparel from foreign fabric made in a lesser developed country				3	3
			7			7	7	7
9819.11.24	Apparel from fabric or yarn N/A in commercial qty (CITA)


South Africa		8,370	7,584	905	767	7,446	7,427	7,584
Total Imports.	>>>	6,584	6,422	767	598	6,254	6,309	6,422
Imports under:	Trade Preference Programs (Total of items below):	6,584	6,422	767	569	6,225	6,280	6,422
9819.11.09	Apparel from regional fabric from U.S. or African yarn


Botswana		8,251	4,766	1,211	991	4,546	4,515	4,766
Total Imports.	>>>	8,251	4,766	1,211	991	4,546	4,515	4,766
Imports under:	Trade Preference Programs (Total of items below):	8,251	4,766	1,211	991	4,546	4,515	4,766
9819.11.12	Apparel from foreign fabric made in a lesser developed country


Zambia			2			2	2	2
Total Imports.	>>>
Imports under:	Trade Preference Programs (Total of items below):
9819.11.27	Handloomed, handmade and folklore articles



Malawi		6,277	1,564	537	210	1,237	1,648	1,564
Total Imports.	>>>	6,268	1,556	534	210	1,233	1,641	1,556
Imports under:	Trade Preference Programs (Total of items below):	6,268	1,556	534	210	1,233	1,641	1,556
9819.11.12	Apparel from foreign fabric made in a lesser developed country


Lesotho		299,690	294,531	42,922	36,410	288,020	284,237	294,531
Total Imports.	>>>	299,314	294,309	42,912	36,397	287,794	284,007	294,309
Imports under:	Trade Preference Programs (Total of items below):		300			300	300	300
9819.11.09	Apparel from regional fabric from U.S. or African yarn	299,314	294,009	42,912	36,397	287,494	283,707	294,009
9819.11.12	Apparel from foreign fabric made in a lesser developed country

Office for Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA)

Empty fields denote: no trade

Values are from the perspective of US imports

Published on www.AGOA.info

AGOA: Leading US Imports of Apparel under AGOA at HS4 level

Click here for the table data

By Value; Unit: $ '000; Data to end FEBRUARY 2017 In descending order by 2016 YTD value

AGOA: Leading US Imports of Apparel under AGOA at HS4 level

By Value; Unit: $ '000; Data to end FEBRUARY 2017

In descending order by 2016 YTD value

	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2016 YTD	2017 YTD	YoY % change
Total	347,576	725,057	1,070,066	1,439,333	1,259,503	1,121,729	1,132,699	1,012,631	819,705	634,128	778,295	753,760	854,697	930,864	987,750	1,003,741	86,398	77,420	-10.40%
6203 MEN'S OR BOY'S SUITS, ENSEMBLES, SUIT-TYPE JACKETS, BLAZERS, TROUSERS, BIB AND BRACE OVERALLS, BREECHES, ETC. (NO SWIMWEAR), NOT KNITTED OR CROCHETED	90,444	181,791	229,093	281,833	246,443	221,556	200,490	167,645	116,534	116,986	136,461	131,810	142,542	175,813	198,875	215,787	32,109	33,024	2.80%
6205 MEN'S OR BOYS' SHIRTS, NOT KNITTED OR CROCHETED	14,699	28,464	46,058	75,078	77,929	65,785	83,215	80,335	69,979	74,406	119,304	132,401	150,585	154,090	154,854	151,184	23,957	16,882	-29.50%
6204 WOMEN'S OR GIRLS' SUITS, ENSEMBLES, SUIT-TYPE JACKETS, DRESSES, SKIRTS, DIVIDED SKIRTS, TROUSERS, ETC. (NO SWIMWEAR), NOT KNITTED OR CROCHETED	100,242	167,466	263,217	317,862	282,162	261,180	254,123	257,968	201,651	117,651	127,490	117,167	115,015	128,292	126,408	134,452	24,038	22,735	-5.40%
6104 WOMEN'S OR GIRLS' SUITS, ENSEMBLES, SUIT-TYPE JACKETS, BLAZERS, DRESSES, SKIRTS, DIVIDED SKIRTS, TROUSERS, ETC. (NO SWIMWEAR), KNITTED OR CROCHETED	13,389	35,543	60,113	96,250	85,905	79,983	84,732	82,875	71,065	69,785	92,078	104,282	118,510	119,067	143,738	124,008	18,770	13,105	-30.20%
6110 SWEATERS, PULLOVERS, SWEATSHIRTS, WAISTCOATS (VESTS) AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, KNITTED OR CROCHETED	88,230	177,175	271,811	406,480	334,236	262,407	259,229	213,070	165,041	122,307	122,269	92,364	118,623	112,862	122,276	116,151	13,877	13,162	-5.10%
6105 MEN'S OR BOYS' SHIRTS, KNITTED OR CROCHETED	9,203	26,804	28,582	26,160	33,673	51,650	75,269	60,368	52,972	32,630	53,408	48,237	60,075	64,688	72,762	89,508	18,853	16,594	-12.00%
6109 T-SHIRTS, SINGLETS, TANK TOPS AND SIMILAR GARMENTS, KNITTED OR CROCHETED	5,166	32,504	44,657	70,759	57,081	52,931	49,868	40,910	26,283	22,419	33,889	40,051	48,078	60,835	52,232	59,116	8,780	12,810	45.90%
6103 MEN'S OR BOYS' SUITS, ENSEMBLES, SUIT-TYPE JACKETS, BLAZERS, TROUSERS, BIB AND BRACE OVERALLS, BREECHES AND SHORTS (NO SWIMWEAR), KNITTED OR CROCHETED	9,006	18,975	42,829	51,376	41,292	36,034	30,671	37,237	42,623	22,538	24,257	24,099	25,634	25,862	31,496	31,098	6,486	5,583	-13.90%
6211 TRACK SUITS, SKI-SUITS AND SWIMWEAR, NOT KNITTED OR CROCHETED	81	930	1,899	1,970	2,176	2,587	3,875	3,742	4,400	2,330	8,548	7,030	10,794	10,337	12,105	14,125	1,829	3,075	68.10%
6206 WOMEN'S OR GIRL'S BLOUSES, SHIRTS AND SHIRT-BLOUSES, NOT KNITTED OR CROCHETED	1,025	3,325	4,933	3,736	4,252	4,224	4,924	4,324	3,526	3,644	3,416	4,775	6,637	12,247	15,738	14,075	1,451	2,080	43.30%
6209 BABIES' GARMENTS AND CLOTHING ACCESSORIES, NOT KNITTED OR CROCHETED	521	1,371	1,685	1,877	5,596	5,938	10,207	7,365	11,616	14,644	11,965	11,262	8,627	9,949	9,471	9,599	2,345	1,480	-36.90%
6111 BABIES' GARMENTS AND CLOTHING ACCESSORIES, KNITTED OR CROCHETED	1,537	3,638	5,241	6,415	10,282	9,754	9,482	8,133	10,041	5,143	4,815	3,281	4,941	5,645	5,237	9,319	1,217	1,941	59.50%
6114 GARMENTS NESOI, KNITTED OR CROCHETED	1,666	6,635	10,089	18,888	15,310	14,369	10,593	6,252	8,201	5,058	8,708	5,195	12,192	13,884	11,793	7,813	1,034	1,132	9.50%
6115 PANTYHOSE, TIGHTS, STOCKINGS, SOCKS AND OTHER HOSIERY, INCLUDING STOCKINGS FOR VARICOSE VEINS AND FOOTWEAR WITHOUT APPLIED SOLES, KNITTED OR CROCHETED	2	269	4,246	7,166	6,095	8,660	7,076	3,954	3,775	4,594	4,919	4,888	5,458	5,146	6,604	6,384	764	569	-25.60%
6106 WOMEN'S OR GIRLS' BLOUSES AND SHIRTS, KNITTED OR CROCHETED	5,767	23,719	24,620	26,187	20,750	23,078	29,016	21,227	13,013	8,803	10,022	7,311	9,435	6,869	5,687	6,298	262	850	224.80%
6101 MEN'S OR BOYS' OVERCOATS, CARCOATS, CAPES, CLOAKS, ANORAKS (INCLUDING SKI-JACKETS), AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, KNITTED OR CROCHETED, NESOI	457	1,721	5,233	13,245	10,018	6,016	8,692	7,318	7,973	1,662	2,818	4,039	2,789	3,534	3,176	4,420	282	9	-96.80%
6102 WOMEN'S OR GIRLS' OVERCOATS, CARCOATS, CAPES, CLOAKS, ANORAKS (INCLUDING SKI-JACKETS), AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, KNITTED OR CROCHETED, NESOI	288	2,945	6,769	13,271	9,692	7,200	3,764	4,367	5,262	3,260	6,903	9,585	7,457	4,655	4,270	3,094	203	54	-73.30%
6212 BRASSIERES, GIRDLES, CORSETS, BRACES, SUSPENDERS, GARTERS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES AND PARTS THEREOF, WHETHER OR NOT KNITTED OR CROCHETED	196	190	836	390	180	276	745	1,710	162	662	1,182	605	652	785	1,172	2,110	186	362	94.90%
6201 MEN'S OR BOYS' OVERCOATS, RAINCOATS, CLOAKS, ANORAKS (INCLUDING SKI-JACKETS) AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, NOT KNITTED OR CROCHETED, NESOI	1,001	269	1,432	1,091	252	543	432	300	753	324	22	374	243	1,038	1,208	1,353		449	N/A
6210 GARMENTS, MADE-UP OF FABRICS OF FELT OR NONWOVENS AND GARMENTS OF TEXTILE FABRICS (NOT KNIT ETC.) RUBBERIZED OR IMPREGNATED, COATED ETC. WITH PLASTICS	50	211		51			72									861	64	702	994.10%
6107 MEN'S OR BOYS' UNDERPANTS, BRIEFS, NIGHTSHIRTS, PAJAMAS, BATHROBES, DRESSING GOWNS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, KNITTED OR CROCHETED	246	579	2,066	1,515	4,488	4,218	2,053	1,248	1,798	353	84	294	196	2,301	3,024	800	54	572	960.60%
6108 WOMEN'S OR GIRLS' SLIPS, PETTICOATS, BRIEFS, PANTIES, NIGHTDRESSES, PAJAMAS, NEGLIGEES, BATHROBES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, KNITTED OR CROCHETED	2,094	1,986	5,548	4,567	4,386	1,461	1,573	124	640	3,447	3,372	2,945	4,159	6,673	4,488	619	36	63	76.60%
6207 MEN'S OR BOY'S SINGLETS AND OTHER UNDERSHIRTS, UNDERPANTS, BRIEFS, NIGHTSHIRTS, PAJAMAS, BATHROBES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, NOT KNITTED OR CROCHETED	642	852	2,223	2,914	2,535	102	8	2			9			2	211	468	225	87	-61.40%
6117 MADE-UP CLOTHING ACCESSORIES NESOI, KNITTED OR CROCHETED; PARTS OF KNITTED OR CROCHETED GARMENTS OR CLOTHING ACCESSORIES		11	60	75	122	460	1,535	1,956	1,521	665	1,272	660	1,142	172	174	442	30	156	415.40%
6202 WOMEN'S OR GIRLS' OVERCOATS, RAINCOATS, CLOAKS, ANORAKS (INCLUDING SKI-JACKETS) AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, NOT KNITTED OR CROCHETED, NESOI	544	1,352	1,004	2,236	1,953	423	146	19	520	303	332	391	175	244	206	202	15	11	-25.90%
6208 WOMEN'S OR GIRLS' SINGLETS AND OTHER UNDERSHIRTS, SLIPS, PANTIES, NIGHTDRESSES, PAJAMAS, NEGLIGEES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, NOT KNITTED OR CROCHETED	1,003	6,177	4,436	3,882	231	89	6	4	2	2	5	4	26	5,477	127	165	44	73	65.70%
6214 SHAWLS, SCARVES, MUFFLERS, MANTILLAS, VEILS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, NOT KNITTED OR CROCHETED	1	3	10	45	57	86	97	139	269	273	511	455	688	392	185	162	21	27	29.90%
6112 TRACK SUITS, SKI-SUITS AND SWIMWEAR, KNITTED OR CROCHETED	74	147	1,366	3,990	2,346	700	794	27	43	195	222	251	24		229	102		20	N/A
6116 GLOVES, MITTENS AND MITTS, KNITTED OR CROCHETED					14	11				2						18		4	N/A
6217 MADE-UP CLOTHING ACCESSORIES NESOI; PARTS OF GARMENTS OR CLOTHING ACCESSORIES NESOI		7	10	18	7	8	11	12	5	5	1	1				5		3	N/A
	2	713	284	411	1,697	143	761	817	154		836	5,059	6,057	6,428	4,282	4,242	730		-100.00%
Subtotal :	347,576	725,057	1,070,066	1,439,327	1,259,463	1,121,729	1,132,698	1,012,631	819,667	634,092	778,284	753,760	854,697	930,860	987,750	1,003,741	156,933	147,613	-5.90%
All Other:				6	39				38	35	11		1	5					%
Total	347,576	725,057	1,070,066	1,439,333	1,259,503	1,121,729	1,132,699	1,012,631	819,705	634,128	778,295	753,760	854,697	930,864	987,750	1,003,741	156,933	147,613	-5.90%

Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA)

Empty field denotes 'no trade' (rounded $ million)

Published on www.AGOA.info

US Imports of Apparel under AGOA - for Chapter 61 and 62

Click here for the table data

By Value; Unit: $ '000 Data to end FEBRUARY 2017; AGOA countries combined

US Imports of Apparel under AGOA - for Chapter 61 and 62

By Value; Unit: $ '000
Data to end FEBRUARY 2017; AGOA countries combined

	Preference type	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2016 YTD	2017 YTD
61 ARTICLES OF APPAREL AND CLOTHING ACCESSORIES, KNITTED OR CROCHETED	AGOA (excluding GSP)		137,126	332,651	513,230	746,344	635,696	558,932	574,347	489,066	410,289	302,896	369,037	347,484	418,712	432,192	467,188	459,191	70,648	66,624
.	GSP (excluding GSP for LDBC only)	5			6	17	15	22	5		1				1	3	36	5
.	No program claimed		27	162
Subtotal - 61 ARTICLES OF APPAREL AND CLOTHING ACCESSORIES, KNITTED OR CROCHETED		5	137,153	332,813	513,236	746,361	635,712	558,955	574,352	489,067	410,290	302,896	369,037	347,484	418,713	432,196	467,224	459,196	70,648	66,624
62 ARTICLES OF APPAREL AND CLOTHING ACCESSORIES, NOT KNITTED OR CROCHETED	AGOA (excluding GSP)		210,450	392,406	556,836	692,989	623,806	562,796	558,352	523,565	409,416	331,232	409,259	406,276	435,985	498,672	520,562	544,550	86,285	80,989
.	GSP (excluding GSP for LDBC only)	2	31	11	7	29	14	6	23	20	24	20	26	51	91	19	71	31	3	24
.	No program claimed		104
Subtotal 62 ARTICLES OF APPAREL AND CLOTHING ACCESSORIES, NOT KNITTED OR CROCHETED		2	210,586	392,417	556,843	693,018	623,820	562,802	558,375	523,585	409,440	331,252	409,284	406,327	436,076	498,691	520,632	544,581	86,288	81,013
Total		7	347,739	725,231	1,070,079	1,439,379	1,259,532	1,121,757	1,132,726	1,012,652	819,729	634,148	778,321	753,811	854,790	930,887	987,856	1,003,777	156,936	147,637

US Department of Commerce

Published on www.AGOA.info

Details on the AGOA apparel manufacturing requirements are available elsewhere in the Rules of Origin section. Preferences are available in a number of different categories. For countries classified as "lesser developed" by the AGOA legislation, provided that an apparel visa system has been implemented and certifies by US authorities, full flexibility with respect to the sourcing of input materials (textile fabrics) is available while for other countries, fabric must be sourced locally or from another AGOA beneficiary in order to meet AGOA's RoO requirements.

The trade data reveals that apparel exports under AGOA peaked in 2004, having risen sharply since AGOA's inception late in 2000 (the first apparel visa certifications were only issued early in 2001 though). This upward trajectory coincided with two important dynamics: the relative advantage that African producers had over exporters in Asian countries, many of who were subject to apparel quotas under WTO regulations (these expired at the end of 2004, although other quotas were implemented on a temporary basis thereafter), while some of the leading exporters under AGOA experienced competitive advantages brought about through local currency movements, making local products particularly competitive.

The global financial crisis in 2009/10 placed pressure on US imports, including those sourced from African producers. Exports have since stabilised. As shown in the chart, apparel exports under AGOA preference today account for virtually all US-bound apparel exports from AGOA beneficiaries within this sector. Leading exporters utilising these trade preferences include Lesotho, Kenya and Mauritius.