Fashion industry

Use our industry guide to find key background information, market research, import and export guidelines, statistics, legislation, trade bodies and trade publications.

The Business & Industry Guides series is produced by the Library & Information Service for ICAEW members and ACA students.

We can compile tailored key players reports, mailing lists, market reports, benchmarking reports and industry news. Our enquiry team can also research other industry-specific information, such as taxation, for you. Call us on +44 (0)20 7920 8620 or email library@icaew.com.

Trends and forecasts

Online articles

The library provides full access to articles from leading business, finance and management journals.

View the latest updates on trends and forecasts in the clothing industry

Access to articles is provided subject to suppliers’ terms of use.

Croner-i Business Focus

Business Focus is a resource that provides Industry Snaphots for a range of sectors. These contain an overview of developments, trends and statistics for the industry together with an outlook for the future. Sectors covered include fashion retail.

To find out more about Business Focus, please contact our enquiry team on +44 (0)20 7920 8620 or at library@icaew.com.

Useful links

State of Fashion 2022: An uneven recovery and new frontiers
Report published by McKinsey & Company on the complex mix of challenges and opportunities facing the fashion industry going into 2022. Published in December 2021.

Retail outlook for 2022
White paper from KPMG/Ipsos Retail Think Tank on the outlook for the UK retail sector in 2022. Discusses the impact on retail of Covid-19, the economy, cost pressures, ESG, channel convergence and consumer behaviour and and provides a prediction of retail sector growth in 2022.

Brexit: the impact on the fashion industry
Results of a survey by think tank Fashion Roundtable of industry leaders in January and February 2021. Provides data and insights into the impact of the UK-EU trade deal on the UK fashion and textiles industry. Published in May 2021.

Market research

Market research reports focusing on this business sector are available from a number of market research specialists. In most cases these reports are available to fee-paying subscribers or on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Industry profiles and SWOT analyses

Industry profiles give an overview of market size in different countries or regions, the competitive landscape and provide a forecast of market performance. These profiles are available for ICAEW members and ACA students through the Library & Information Service.

Regional reports

Africa

Asia

Europe

Latin America

Middle East

North America

Oceania

Australia

If you’re looking for industry profiles for regions or countries not listed above, please contact the Library on +44 (0)20 7920 8620 or email library@icaew.com.

SWOT analyses examining the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for major companies operating in this sector are available.

View the latest SWOT analysis reports

If you experience any problems accessing these resources, please see our online resources troubleshooting FAQ.

Other market research specialists

Some free information is available from the following market research specialists, ranging from industry news to executive summaries of the reports.

Euromonitor
A full listing of reference products and research reports are available for the clothing and footwear industry from Euromonitor, with a range of global, country and company level reports. Each report provides a contents listing and a useful executive summary reporting on the key trends in each country report.

IBISWorld
Business and industry research specialists offering reports on a wide range of sectors, including the manufacture, wholesale and retail of clothing, footwear and jewellery. Report snapshots, table of contents and a sample report are available. The company also produces global industry research reports.

Just-Style (Aroq)
A specialist market research portal from Aroq for the fashion sector, including industry news, analysis and research on the global apparel and textiles sector. Free access to news, jobs and some articles and features. The majority of the site requires registration.

Mintel
A full listing of reports from market intelligence provider Mintel on the clothing, footwear and accessories industry. Report summaries, table of contents and a sample report are available.

Plunkett Research
Reports on the apparel, textiles and fashion industry including trends, statistical analysis and company profiles. Sample data is available.

Industry news

Need to find the latest news on this industry sector? We can carry out industry news searches using a range of trade titles and general business sources through our databases. To discuss your requirements, please contact the enquiry team on +44 (0)20 7920 8620 or at library@icaew.com.

Statistics on the UK

Office for National Statistics

The Annual Business Survey (ABS) from the Office for National Statistics collects financial information covering UK production, construction, distribution and service industries. Statistics available include:

number of enterprises;
total turnover;
approximate gross value added at basic prices;
total purchases of goods, materials and services;
total employment costs;
total net capital expenditure;
total net capital expenditure – acquisitions;
total net capital expenditure – disposals;
total stocks and work in progress – value at end of year;
total stocks and work in progress – value at beginning of year;
total stocks and work in progress – increase during year.

The dataset Non-financial business economy, UK: Sections A to S includes statistics for:

Section C: Manufacturing
Manufacture of wearing apparel (14)
Manufacture of footwear (15.2)
Manufacture of jewellery, bijouterie and related articles (32.1)
Division 46: Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles
Agents involved in the sale of textiles, clothing, fur, footwear and leather goods (46.16)
Wholesale of textiles (46.41)
Wholesale of clothing and footwear (46.42)
Wholesale of watches and jewellery (46.48)
Division 47: Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles
Retail sale of clothing in specialised stores (47.71)
Retail sale of footwear and leather goods in specialised stores (47.72)
Retail sale of watches and jewellery in specialised stores (47.77)

Statistics on Europe

Eurostat

Eurostat, the EU statistics hub, collates detailed Structural Business Statistics giving the latest figures for industry, construction, trade and services by sector and country. The indicators available include:

number of enterprises
turnover or gross premiums written
production value
value added at factor cost
gross operating surplus
wages and salaries
social security costs
gross investment in tangible goods
gross investment in land
gross investment in existing buildings and structures
gross investment in construction and alteration of buildings
gross investment in machinery and equipment
number of employees
number of persons employed per enterprise.

Statistics within the database are available for:

Manufacture of wearing apparel (C14)
Manufacture of footwear (C152)
Manufacture of jewellery, bijouterie and related articles (C321)

See database section ‘SBS – industry and construction’.

Agents involved in the sale of textiles, clothing, fur, footwear and leather goods (G4616)
Wholesale of textiles (G4641)
Wholesale of clothing and footwear (G4642)
Wholesale of watches and jewellery (G4648)
Retail sale of clothing in specialised stores (G4771)
Retail sale of footwear and leather goods in specialised stores (G4772)
Retail sale of watches and jewellery in specialised stores (G4777)

See database section ‘SBS – trade’.

Eurostat also compiles an annual survey of specialist statistics on the production of manufactured goods in the EU. Data within Prodcom includes:

Division 13 – Manufacture of textiles
Division 14 – Manufacture of wearing apparel
Division 15 – Manufacture of leather and related products

Statistics on the Americas

Office of Textiles and Apparel (US)

The Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) compiles regularly updated trade data, which includes links to comprehensive US import and export statistics.

Global statistics

INDSTAT

The UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) collects and compiles industrial statistics known as INDSTAT, which give information on:

number of employees
number of establishments
output
value added
total wages and salaries.

Statistics by country are available for:

Spinning, weaving and finishing of textiles (171)
Knitted and crocheted fabrics and articles (1730)
Wearing apparel, except fur apparel (1810)
Dressing and dyeing of fur; processing of fur (1820)
Tanning and dressing of leather (1911)
Luggage, handbags, etc.; saddlery and harness (1912)
Footwear (1920)
Jewellery and related articles (3691)

UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database (Comtrade)

The UN compiles and publishes international import and export statistics in the Commodity Trade Statistics Database (Comtrade), giving figures for goods traded by value, quantity and weight for each country.

Statistics are available for:

Articles of leather, animal gut, harness, travel goods (42)
Fur skins and artificial fur, manufactures thereof (43)
Silk (50)
Wool, animal hair, horsehair yarn and fabric thereof (51)
Cotton (52)
Knitted or crocheted fabric (60)
Articles of apparel, accessories, knit or crochet (61)
Articles of apparel, accessories, not knit or crochet (62)
Footwear, gaiters and the like, parts thereof (64)
Headgear and parts thereof (65)
Umbrellas, walking-sticks, seat-sticks, whips, etc (66)

UN Industrial Commodity Statistics Database

The UN provides statistics on the quantity of goods produced by country in the Industrial Commodity Statistics Database.

Figures are available for:

Cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones, and similar (38)
Articles of jewellery and goldsmiths' or silversmiths' wares (38)
Articles of natural or cultured pearls (38)
Imitation jewellery (38)
Textile manufacturing services (88)
Wearing apparel manufacturing services (88)
Leather product manufacturing services (88)

Employment

UK

The Office for National Statistics publication Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) includes average employment costs within this sector which can be found in Table 14. Average employment costs are provided for full-time employees, part-time employees and all employees.

The data includes average employment costs for:

clothing cutters;
goldsmiths, silversmiths, precious stone workers;
sewing machinists;
product, clothing and related designers;
tailors and dressmakers;
textile and garments trades.

The annual Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES), published by the Office for National Statistics, includes total employee and employment estimates for different industries for Great Britain and the UK. Figures are broken down to show full-time/part-time and public/private splits. The dataset Industry – Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES): Table 2 includes statistics for:

Manufacture of wearing apparel (14)
Manufacture of footwear (152)
Manufacture of jewellery, bijouterie and related articles (321)
Agents involved in the sale of textiles, clothing, fur, footwear and leather goods (46160)
Wholesale of textiles (46410)
Wholesale of clothing and footwear (46420)
Wholesale of watches and jewellery (46480)
Retail sale of clothing in specialised stores (47710)
Retail sale of footwear in specialised stores (47721)
Retail sale of leather goods in specialised stores (47722)
Retail sale of watches and jewellery in specialised stores (47770)

Other regions

Please see individual country profile pages for links to sources of national statistics.

Legislation and regulation

UK

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has a section on health and safety in the textiles industries, which includes latest regulations affecting this industry.

Moving goods from the EU to Great Britain
Step by step webinars which focus on the process for moving goods between the EU and Great Britain in multiple languages. Covers the movement of auto parts, cosmetics and textiles. The videos cover movements from Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain from 1 January 2022.

Working and touring in Europe - guidance for the fashion sector
Checklist from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport for fashion professionals working, performing or touring in Europe. Includes: important checks; visa/work permits; transporting samples, examples and finished goods; transporting commercial goods; haulage; social security and income tax.

Consumer goods sector and the EU
Guidance from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy for the consumer goods sector on working with the EU from 1 January 2021.

Textile labelling
Guidance published by GOV.UK for manufacturers and retailers on textile labelling from 1 January 2021.

Footwear labelling
Guidance published by GOV.UK for manufacturers and retailers on footwear labelling from 1 January 2021.

Import and export

Trade Tariff

The Trade Tariff is a useful Gov.uk database listing tax, duties and licenses for the import and export of goods between the UK and other countries. The database is searchable by product or commodity code and results can be filtered by date and country. Information also includes links to relevant conditions and regulations.

See import and export information for:

Business guides

Croner-i Business Focus

Business Focus is a resource that provides practical information on many small business trades and sectors. Its Business Opportunity Profiles offer detailed insights into market conditions, legal issues and the trading environment for a range of businesses. They include: Bridalwear retailer, Childrenswear retailer, Designer fashion boutique, Discount clothing shop, Dressmaker, Fashion accessories retailer, Fashion designer, Haberdashery, Handbag maker, Jeweller, Jewellery maker, Lingerie retailer, Menswear retailer.

Mini Business Opportunity Profiles are also available and provide a general introduction to more niche business areas. They include: Designer shoe shop, Ethnic clothing retailer, Goth clothing shop, Indian fashion retailer, Outsize clothing shop, Schoolwear retailer, Tailor.

To find out more about Business Focus, please contact our enquiry team on +44 (0)20 7920 8620 or at library@icaew.com.

Atom Content Marketing guides

The Start Up Donut from Atom Content Marketing provides practical information on starting up and running a number of small business types. Guides cover a range of areas including market research, current trends, regulations, products and services, promotion and pricing. They include:

UK key players, ratios and trends

We can produce reports on this sector using selected information from the FAME company database. Reports are available for:

Manufacture of wearing apparel
UK SIC (2007) Code 14.00
Manufacture of leather and related products
UK SIC (2007) Code 15.00
Manufacture of jewellery and related articles (including imitation jewellery)
UK SIC (2007) Code 32.12 and 32.13
Agents involved in the sale of textiles, clothing, fur, footwear and leather goods
UK SIC (2007) Code 46.16
Wholesale of clothing and footwear
UK SIC (2007) Code 46.42
Retail sale of clothing in specialised stores
UK SIC (2007) Code 47.71
Retail sale of footwear and leather goods in specialised stores
UK SIC (2007) Code 47.72
Retail sale of watches and jewellery in specialised stores
UK SIC (2007) Code 47.77

Summaries of the three types of report we can produce are given below. You can find further information, a sample report, pricing details and an online order form on our industry sector reports page.

We also operate a bespoke reports service with results tailored to your specifications. Please contact our enquiry team on +44 (0)20 7920 8620 or at library@icaew.com to discuss your requirements.

Key players report

Our key players report looks at the top companies (by turnover) in any one of the segments within this sector. Reports usually include the top 100 companies but in more specialised sectors with fewer than 100 companies we show all companies with disclosed figures. The reports provide data on 11 comparative fields for the last available year, including:

turnover;
profit margins;
returns on shareholder funds;
solvency ratios
number of employees.

Our reports enable easy comparison of the top companies in this sector against each other and against the sector median, average and standard deviation in each of the 11 fields.

Mailing list

A separate mailing list report is also available with address and contact details for the top companies in any of the segments within this sector.

Market reports

Our market reports look at the aggregated data for the top companies (by turnover) for any of the segments within this sector across all the fields usually found in a company report. The reports include data for the last 10 years* and enables easy comparison of trends for the whole sector. Reports usually include the top 100 companies but in more specialised sectors with fewer than 100 companies we show all companies with disclosed figures.

*Please note the number of companies for which data is aggregated will vary for any given year.

The market reports include sections on:

key financials and employees;
profit and loss account;
balance sheet;
cash flow statement;
financial ratios;
financial trends and changes;
profitability trends and changes.

UK benchmarking

We offer benchmarking reports that can be used to inform your own business strategy or help you identify value-added services to offer to your clients.

Contact the enquiry team directly on +44 (0)20 7920 8620 or at library@icaew.com for a report tailored to your own specific requirements.

Directories

Open Apparel Registry
An open source map and database of garment facilities worldwide and their affiliations.

Trade bodies

The websites of trade bodies in this sector are a useful source of industry overviews, contacts and statistics.

UK

Europe

Americas

Asia

Global

The IAF provides a directory, with contact details and links, of member organisations in the clothing industry.

Trade journals and publications

Trade journals, B2B magazines and specialist consumer magazines are another useful source of news and statistics.

Further resources

Fashion, footwear and jewellery industry guides: British Library
British Library industry guides provide listings of resources for industry-specific information, including print directories and materials held by the British Library.

Contact the British Library Business and IP Centre for more information.