U.S. textile and apparel (T&A) exports increased by $543 million (3 percent) to $19.8 billion in 2013. However, because import increased by $3.2 billion (3 percent) to $97.5 billion, U.S. trade deficit in T&A increased rose to $97.5 billion in 2013. Imports supplied about 98 percent of U.S. consumer demand for T&A in 2013.
Textiles account for 83 percent of all U.S. T&A exports in 2013. Exports of these textiles products (particularly fabrics and yarns) are used primarily as intermediate inputs for finished products manufactured abroad, which are then imported back into the United States (USITC, 2014). In terms of value, specialty & industrial fabrics, spun yarns & thread, felts & other non-woven textiles and other made-up textile articles altogether account for nearly half of U.S. T&A exports in 2013. Statistics further show that U.S. apparel exports also grow fast in recent years. However, it shall be noted that a good proportion of them might be used clothing.
Mexico and Canada remain the top two largest export markets for U.S. T&A in 2013. 66 percent of U.S. T&A exports in 2013 went to the Western Hemisphere (i.e. North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean countries). However, this share has declined from 77.6 percent in 2000. Other leading export markets for U.S. T&A include Honduras, China and Japan.
Reference:
USITC (2014). Shifts in U.S. Merchandise Trade. http://www.usitc.gov/press_room/news_release/2014/er1112ll232.htm
OTEXA (2014). U.S. Imports and Exports of Textiles and Apparel. http://otexa.trade.gov/msrpoint.htm
FASH455 Global Apparel & Textile Trade and Sourcing 
This article I found very interesting. It is interesting that the U.S textile and apparel exports went up and down between the years 2000-2013. They plummeted down a lot in 2009 during the big recession that we had. Then is seemed to sky rocket back up for 2010. Then by 2013 it was back to around where it was in 2000 again at about 5%. I find it interesting that textiles account for about 83% of all U.S Textile and Apparel exports in 2013. It is also interesting that these textiles were all primarily all inputs of fabrics and yards for finished goods to be made and manufactured abroad and then sent back to the U.S.
it is crazy how even though our exports rose from $543 million (3 percent) to $19.8 billion in 2013, that our imports increased by $3.2 billion (3 percent) to $97.5 billion as well. U.S. trade deficit in T&A increased to $97.5 billion in 2013. I also didn’t think that second hand clothing would be considered export so that was interesting. I also did not know that most of our exports go to the western hemisphere.