The Polish clothing industry against the background of global markets

The clothing industry, one of the main branches of the consumer industry, is still undergoing dynamic changes both in Poland and around the world. Based on the data of the Statista website, the Economic Analysis Department of PKO Bank Polski has prepared a report entitled “International markets: clothing. Current situation and forecasts until 2029” (August 2025), presenting the current picture of the global and domestic clothing market.

According to Statista estimates, global clothing sales in 2024 reached almost EUR 1.64 trillion, which means an increase of 2 percent compared to the previous year and as much as 34.9 percent more than in 2020. Although the growth rate is slowing compared to the post-COVID-19 boom period, forecasts for 2025-2029 point to continued stable growth in the sector, with an average annual growth rate of 2.5 percent in global sales.

Global markets – export leaders and prospects

Asia accounted for the largest share of global clothing sales in 2024 – EUR 649 billion, which means an average annual increase of 8.6 percent between 2022 and 2024. Looking ahead to 2025-2029, Asian markets will see slower progress, forecast at 3.1 percent per year, but maintaining a dominant position with a 40.6 percent share of global sales.

The highest growth rate of clothing sales in 2025–2029 is expected in Africa – an average of 4.5 percent per year. The slowest growth is forecast in North America (1.8 percent per year) and Europe (2 percent).

The largest segment of the industry remains women’s clothing, which will account for 52.4 percent of global sales in 2025. Men’s and children’s clothing is growing more slowly, with an average annual growth rate of 2.6 and 2.2 percent, respectively.

In 2024, China remained the largest exporter of clothing, reaching a 28.7 percent share of global exports.

The largest importers of clothing in the world and Poland’s position

In 2024, the United States was the largest importer of clothing in the world – 18.1 percent of global imports, which corresponded to the value of EUR 77.4 billion.

In the next places were  Germany, Great Britain, France and Japan. The top ten countries accounted for a total of 60.1 percent of global clothing imports.

In 2024, Poland ranked 9th in this ranking, with a share of 3.5 percent. It is worth noting that Polish imports are growing slightly faster than exports – in 2019–2024, Poland’s share in global imports increased by an average of 1.6 percent per year. In 2024, the main suppliers of clothing to the Polish market were China (23.6 percent), Bangladesh (22.9 percent) and Turkey (11 percent), with imports from China and Bangladesh recording an increase of over 20 percent year-on-year.

The Polish clothing industry – characteristics and challenges

In 2024, there were 288 companies employing more than 9 people in Poland. The largest ones mainly focus on the design and distribution of clothing, the production of which takes place in Bangladesh, China, India and Vietnam. At the same time, the sector stands out for its large number of small manufacturers specializing in short series, workwear and protective clothing, and the premium segment.

In 2024, the revenues of Polish clothing manufacturers fell by 2% y/y, reaching EUR 1.37 billion (PLN 5.9 billion), and the net financial result decreased by as much as 29%, to EUR 84 million (PLN 362 million). The largest share in total revenues was held by companies producing workwear (43 percent) and outerwear (27 percent). Net profitability was 6.3 percent, and salaries accounted for more than 25 percent of costs – despite relatively low wages in the industry.

The Polish export market and directions of development

In 2024, Poland exported clothing worth EUR 12.7 billion, and imports amounted to EUR 14.9 billion. The largest export category was women’s and girls’ clothing (CN 6204 – 22 per cent share), including cotton T-shirts (CN 610910 – 6.7 per cent). Poland often acts as an intermediary in the re-export of clothes produced in Asia.

Strengths and weaknesses of the Polish clothing industry

The Polish clothing industry combines great potential with clear limitations. Its strengths are:

• proximity to EU markets, allowing for shorter delivery times and better quality control;
• flexible, niche manufacturers specializing in underwear, workwear, protective clothing and the premium segment;
• highly qualified staff capable of creating clothing with a high standard of workmanship.

At the same time, the sector is struggling with low price competitiveness due to high labour and energy costs, as well as a high dependence on imported fabrics. Development is also hampered by limited investments in automation, the lack of an influx of young specialists and the low recognition of Polish brands in the EU. An additional challenge is the growing pressure of cheap clothing from Asia and the expansion of e-commerce platforms, forcing manufacturers to constantly look for new competitive advantages.

E-commerce as a driver of industry growth

The digitalization of retail has become one of the most important factors transforming the global clothing market. Online sales have gained in importance especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, when consumers moved their purchases online en masse.

In 2024, the share of e-commerce channels in clothing sales in Europe was 23.2 percent, and according to forecasts, it will increase to 33.7 percent by 2029. This means that by the middle of this decade, every third clothing purchase transaction on the continent will be carried out online.

A similar trend is observed in Poland – the number of manufacturers and brands developing their own online stores and using sales platforms such as Zalando, Allegro or Amazon is growing. Online sales are becoming an increasingly important export channel, allowing you to reach foreign customers directly, bypassing traditional intermediaries and barriers to entering international markets.

E-commerce is a particularly important opportunity for small and medium-sized manufacturers, allowing them to build the recognition of niche and premium brands – offering high-quality products, personalized or sustainably produced. It also enables them to scale their export activities at relatively low marketing and logistics costs.

The development of online sales goes hand in hand with a growing interest in sustainable and circular fashion. Customers are increasingly choosing ethical, local and environmentally friendly products, which creates space for Polish manufacturers to compete with quality and a transparent supply chain – and not just on price.

Source: PKO BP, Department of Economic Analysis, „Rynki międzynarodowe: odzież. Sytuacja bieżąca i prognozy do 2029”, August 2025

Translated by IDC

JL