United States (US): Major Trade Issues At a Glance

Textile and Clothing

In accordance with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, all quota restrictions on textiles exports were eliminated with effect from 1 January 2005. Since then, Hong Kong-origin textile products can be exported to the US quota-free. 

Certain textile products originating from the Mainland of China are however subject to quota control at present. The Memorandum of Understanding concerning Trade in Textile and Apparel Products signed by the US and the Mainland on 8 November 2005 (MOU) has established import restraints for 21 groups involving 34 categories of textiles products for a period of 3 years starting from 1 January 2006. Detailed information is available in Commercial Information Circular No. 463/2005 of 10 November 2005. 

If you are interested to find out more, such as information on the US textiles and apparel category system and trade data, you may browse the website of the Office of Textiles and Apparel of US Department of Commerce.