The European textile and clothing industry stands at a defining moment. The continent’s sales results continue to mark significant steps, despite it is registering a slight decline, significant defense measures need to be taken.
This is the roll call that Euratex, the European Apparel and Textile Confederation, has just sent out to EU authorities and in particular answering Ursula von Der Leyen’s, European Commission president, announced on 16 September, about the State of the Union. Euratex has particulary welcomed her recognition of Europe’s need to rebalance unfair trade, cut red tape, and strengthen its industrial and strategic autonomy.
As reported in he 2026 edition of “Euratex Facts & Figures” report released in June 2026, the segment counted a €166 billion in turnover in 2025, with 1.2 million jobs and nearly 200,000 companies across the EU27. Therefore, the sector remains one of Europe’s key industrial ecosystems, supporting innovation, employment and strategic value far beyond fashion, including transport, healthcare, construction, agriculture and defense.
Despite this, exports declined by 2.9%, employment fell by 2.8%, and the trade deficit with third countries continues to widen. Imports now stand at €122 billion, more than double the €61 billion in exports, while around one third of textile and clothing products sold in Europe are manufactured in China.
E-commerce is adding further pressure. Since 2022, volumes of low-value parcels have quadrupled, with average import prices below €9 per item. This creates an uneven playing field for European producers that comply with high environmental, social and product standards.
At the same time, the report highlights the sector’s resilience and capacity to reinvent itself. Productivity has continued to improve, while CO₂ emission intensity has fallen sharply, from above 160 grams per euro of value added in 2008 to 66 grams in 2024. This shows that competitiveness and sustainability can progress together.
From technical textiles and advanced materials to circular solutions and high-value manufacturing, Europe’s textile and clothing industry continues to evolve. The challenge now is to create the conditions for companies to remain competitive, invest in Europe and lead the transition towards a more sustainable and resilient industrial future.
In particular referring to Von Der Leyen’s recent speech Euratex calls on the Commission and Member States to translate their commitments into concrete action for the textile and apparel value chain.
It is urging the Commission to match the present political commitments with an equal sense of urgency on industrial competitiveness, and to place manufacturing sectors, such as textiles, more firmly at the centre of its agenda in the months ahead.
“Europe cannot build a strong defense, lead the green and digital transitions, or protect its social model on a weakening industrial base. Competitiveness is not just one chapter of the European project – it is the foundation all the others are built on; when we get that right, everything else becomes possible,” stated Dirk Vantyghem, general director, Euratex.
On trade, Euratex shares the President’s assessment that the EU’s growing trade deficit with China – now standing at €1 billion a day – has reached a tipping point. The textile and apparel sector has been on the front line of this “second China shock” for years, and it advocates the Commission to move swiftly from dialogue to concrete trade-defense measures, including stronger customs enforcement and imports monitoring for textile products.
Euratex has also welcomed the pledge to cut administrative burden and forge a “pact against gold-plating” with Member States. Textile companies, the vast majority SMEs, are disproportionately affected by overlapping and often diverging national implementation of EU rules, and genuine simplification would meaningfully improve their competitiveness.
The confederation further recognizes the need of dedicated support for the textile industry, reflecting its role as a strategic manufacturing sector for Europe’s green, digital, and defense transitions, and ensuring the sector is not left without targeted instruments as EU funding priorities are reshaped.