In January–July 2026, apparel manufacturers in the Asia-Pacific region further expanded their share of the Netherlands' apparel imports, overtaking European suppliers; although the Netherlands' total apparel imports declined over the same period, Asia-Pacific origins still held first place, continuing a years-long trend of eroding share from intra-European competitors. The data comes from TexPro procurement intelligence.

Key points

  • In January–July 2026, Asia-Pacific suppliers continued to rank first in Dutch apparel sourcing, with Europe second;
  • By import value, cotton apparel was the largest category entering Dutch ports, with trousers and shorts leading among subcategories;
  • The Netherlands is the logistics gateway for re-exporting Asian apparel to Germany, Belgium and the Nordic countries, giving origin associations in Bangladesh, Vietnam, India, China and elsewhere order stability on that basis.

Cotton apparel and outerwear trousers drive import volumes

By value, cotton apparel was the largest product category entering Dutch ports over the seven months, with trousers and shorts topping specific categories, indicating that retailer orders remain concentrated in large-volume basics. European fashion buyers have compressed sourcing orders into everyday core categories rather than expanding speculative fashion inventory. For Asian fabric mills and garment factories, the volume resilience of woven and knitted trousers means production schedules can remain stable even if retailer demand softens in value terms.

Pressure on European nearshore sourcing rises

Orders continuing to shift to Asia-Pacific highlight the cost advantage that nearshore suppliers in Southern and Eastern Europe find hard to match under current retail price pressure. Dutch retailers, as well as cross-border e-commerce hubs based in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, continue to place basic volume orders with Asian supply chains.

Nearshore suppliers still hold a speed advantage for short-cycle replenishment, but as Asian producers keep upgrading logistics links and compliance standards, the operational gap in standard seasonal collections has narrowed. Similar sourcing shifts toward Asian origins have also appeared in nearby markets such as Austria, against the backdrop of an overall European retail adjustment driven by proposed changes to the EU tariff on low-value parcels.

Q4 order window arrives

Asian apparel exporters are now entering a critical fourth-quarter delivery window, covering winter inventory as well as initial production for the 2027 spring collections. The trade will track the Netherlands' full-year customs declaration data and European retail sell-through rates before December to judge whether Asia's volume gains can translate into profit recovery for supplying factories. For Asian apparel origins such as Bangladesh, Vietnam, India and China, maintaining market share in the Netherlands provides a key stabilizer, and most European apparel retailers use Dutch ports precisely as the gateway for re-exporting fashion goods to Germany.

Source: Asia-Pacific Expands Market Share in Netherlands Apparel Imports · Originally published 2026-10-05