Mainland textile exports to US highest ever—US consulting firm

Exports of textile products from mainland China to the United States more than doubled in 2002, according to trade figures released in February.

Textile exports to the United States increased 125 percent to nearly 5 billion square meters worth $8.7 billion, according to figures from the U.S. Commerce Department.

For the first time, textile export volume exceeded apparel exports. The China National Textile Industry Council said exports of synthetic fabrics have been increasing substantially, with the unit price of synthetic fabrics at only half of natural fiber fabric prices.

And last year's surge could only be the beginning. In 2005, the quotas that still constrain the mainland's exports are to be eliminated entirely, raising the prospect of a greater surge.

But U.S. textile companies fear the surge of the mainland's textile products spells further trouble for the industry. Low wages in the mainland could result in the loss of manufacturing jobs in the United States. Already U.S. manufacturing employment has fallen by nearly 2 million jobs in the last two years to 16.4 million in January.