Textile, Apparel Imports Fall in December

WASHINGTON — Economic headwinds continued to take a toll on textile and apparel imports, driving shipments down in December and for the year.

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Textile and apparel shipments to the U.S. declined 7.9 percent in December to 3.5 billion square meter equivalents compared with the year earlier, the Commerce Department’s Office of Textiles & Apparel said Wednesday. Apparel and textile shipments to the U.S. were down 5.2 percent to 50.4 billion SME in 2008 compared with the previous year.