China's cotton yarn exports continued to decline in December 2025. China Customs data (HS Code 5205) showed that monthly exports stood at 15,900 tons, down 26.2% year-on-year and 2.5% month-on-month, marking the fourth consecutive month of slight contraction in export volume. In cumulative terms, total exports for the January-December period reached 219,600 tons, representing a year-on-year increase of 14.69%.
In terms of export product mix, the combined share of the top three varieties - combed 54.8-66S, combed above 66S, and combed 30.4-46.6S - accounted for 53.66% of total exports in December 2025, lower than the 64.14% share recorded in the same period last year. From January to December 2025, the combined export volume of the top three varieties (combed 30.4-46.6S, combed 54.8-66S, and combed above 66S) increased by 18.56% year-on-year, with the absolute volume rising by 21,700 tons.
For combed 54.8-66S, exports fell by 6.66% year-on-year; for combed above 66S, they dropped by 28.31%; and for combed 30.4-46.6S, the decline was 65.43%. In contrast, exports of uncombed 8.2-25S rose by 24.73%, though the absolute volume remained low at 1,100 tons. Notably, for the full year January-December 2025, exports of combed 54.8-66S increased by 64.8% year-on-year, with an incremental growth of 24,500 tons.
In terms of destinations, Pakistan accounted for 31.56% of exports in December, representing an 18.91% year-on-year decrease in share. Vietnam and Bangladesh together made up 27.38%. Cumulatively for the full year January-December 2025, cotton yarn exports to Pakistan, Vietnam, and Bangladesh constituted 72.21% of total exports, amounting to 158,600 tons and reflecting a 20.75% year-on-year increase.
In December 2025, China's cotton yarn exports to Pakistan plummeted by 52.66% year-on-year, while sales to Bangladesh and Vietnam fell by 16.5% and 18.32%, respectively. In contrast, exports to Hong Kong, China surged by 372.12%, reaching 2,300 tons. For the full year January-December 2025, exports to Pakistan totaled 104,400 tons (up 34.02% year-on-year), followed by Bangladesh at 29,700 tons (up 1.95%) and Vietnam at 24,500 tons (up 0.81%).
China's cotton yarn exports continued to exhibit characteristics of seasonal adjustments and structural divergence toward the year-end. Global apparel end-user consumption remained weak at the end of the year, with persistently low order placement willingness from brands. Insufficient downstream apparel orders directly led upstream spinning mills to reduce capacity, thereby dampening procurement demand for Chinese cotton yarn. Hong Kong, China, having no local textile end-user production capacity, primarily imports cotton yarn for re-export trade. Lacking support from end-user industries, the 372.12% high growth rate only reflects short-term fluctuations in re-export orders and is not underpinned by real demand. Growth in markets such as Thailand and Nigeria mainly stemmed from phased inventory replenishment by local spinning mills and short-term regional trade policy benefits, yet the overall scale remains limited and unlikely to drive long-term growth.
From an annual perspective, cumulative cotton yarn exports for January–December 2025 reached 219,600 tons, representing a year-on-year increase of 14.69%, with overall scale maintaining steady growth.
Going forward, close attention should be paid to changes in inventory cycles and procurement strategies in key markets such as Pakistan and Vietnam. Spinning mills should continue to optimize their export product mix, increase the proportion of high-value products such as high-count yarns and specialty yarns, and enhance their adaptability to market fluctuations in order to maintain a stable market share amid evolving global trade patterns.
