According to the latest statistics released by the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA):
- In 2020, the US apparel and footwear industry directly employed about 3 million Americans and employed another 2.3 million indirectly.
- In 2020, on average, every man, woman, and child in the United States spent $1,067.93 to buy 51.8 pieces of clothes and 5.8 pairs of shoes.
- In 2020, US apparel and footwear production accounted for 3.5 percent and 2.3 percent of the US market, respectively.
- Due to COVID-19, in 2020, US imports of apparel and footwear sank 16.4 percent and 23.5 percent, respectively. However, imports still supplied 96.5 percent of apparel and 97.7 percent of footwear available in the US market.
- In 2020, the average effective tariff rate hit records for both apparel and footwear, reaching 15.5 percent and 13.0 percent, respectively.
Related reading: State of U.S. Textile and Apparel Manufacturing: Output, Employment, and Trade (Updated October 2021)
FASH455 Global Apparel & Textile Trade and Sourcing 