Jeans Industry Statistics

Apparel/Footwear brands face pressure to meet science-based targets; however percentage of textile brands with SBTs in 2023 is 8% (Science Based Targets initiative dataset) [1]

In 2023, 42% of SBTi approved companies reported decarbonization targets for Scope 3 (SBTi) [2]

The EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation requires digital product passports for certain product categories; the proposal lists textiles/footwear for potential inclusion (European Commission) [3]

The EU Restriction on lead, PFAS, phthalates etc. in textiles includes restrictions under REACH (ECHA) [4]

The EU’s “Right to Repair” initiative includes mandatory availability of spare parts for certain consumer goods, affecting apparel care accessories; page number and details listed (EC) [5]

California Proposition 65 applies warning requirements for certain chemicals in consumer products (OEHHA guidance) [6]

The EU Waste Framework Directive sets a 2030 target of 70% municipal waste recycling (related policy affecting textile waste) [7]

EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation target is 70% recycling by 2030 for packaging (policy impacting branded packaging) [8]

The UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion aims to reduce fashion industry’s impact; baseline reduction target of 30% by 2030 for GHG (UN/UNEP page) [9]

Nike’s FY2024 (ended May 31, 2024) gross margin was 44.0% (Nike Form 10-K) [10]

Levi Strauss & Co. net revenues were $6.29 billion for fiscal 2023 (10-K) [11]

Levi Strauss & Co. net income attributable to shareholders was $116 million in fiscal 2023 (10-K) [11]

Levi’s wholesale revenues were $2.97 billion in fiscal 2023 (10-K) [11]

VF Corporation revenue in FY2024 was $12.0 billion (VF 10-K) [12]

Skechers revenue in 2023 was $8.7 billion (10-K) [13]

Fast Retailing (Uniqlo) revenue in fiscal year 2023 was ¥3,911.0 billion (Annual report) [14]

Zara/Inditex net sales were €37.7 billion in 2023 (Inditex annual report) [15]

H&M group net sales were SEK 219.0 billion in 2023 (H&M annual report) [16]

Gap Inc. net sales were $13.0 billion in fiscal 2023 (10-K) [17]

Abercrombie & Fitch net revenues were $3.0 billion in fiscal 2023 (10-K) [18]

Diesel net sales were €1.1 billion in 2022 (public filings/annual report) [19]

The U.S. apparel and accessories retail sales for “Jeans” totaled $40.7 billion in 2022 [20]

The U.S. jeans retail sales were $41.4 billion in 2023 [20]

The U.S. jeans retail sales are projected to reach $44.0 billion in 2024 [20]

The U.S. jeans retail sales are projected to reach $47.7 billion in 2028 [20]

In 2023, U.S. jeans sales revenue per user was $126.0 (statista) [21]

U.S. jeans sales revenue per user was $123.0 in 2022 (statista) [21]

U.S. jeans retail volume was 356.4 million units in 2023 (statista) [22]

U.S. jeans retail volume was 351.1 million units in 2022 (statista) [22]

U.S. jeans unit price was $120.1 in 2023 (statista) [23]

U.S. jeans unit price was $119.0 in 2022 (statista) [23]

China denim jeans market size was $6.6 billion in 2022 (IMARC) [24]

China denim jeans market size projected to reach $10.7 billion by 2033 (IMARC) [24]

India denim jeans market size was $3.2 billion in 2022 (IMARC) [25]

India denim jeans market projected to reach $5.4 billion by 2033 (IMARC) [25]

Brazil denim jeans market size was $1.4 billion in 2022 (IMARC) [26]

Brazil denim jeans market projected to reach $2.2 billion by 2033 (IMARC) [26]

Turkey denim jeans market size was $1.2 billion in 2022 (IMARC) [27]

Turkey denim jeans market projected to reach $2.0 billion by 2033 (IMARC) [27]

Indonesia denim jeans market size was $0.9 billion in 2022 (IMARC) [28]

Indonesia denim jeans market projected to reach $1.5 billion by 2033 (IMARC) [28]

Vietnam denim jeans market size was $1.0 billion in 2022 (IMARC) [29]

Vietnam denim jeans market projected to reach $1.7 billion by 2033 (IMARC) [29]

Inditex share of online sales as percentage of total sales was 23% in 2023 (Inditex annual report) [15]

H&M online sales percentage of total revenue was 30% in 2023 (H&M annual report) [16]

Levi’s direct-to-consumer net revenue mix was 32% in fiscal 2023 (Levi’s 10-K) [11]

Levi’s direct-to-consumer net revenue in fiscal 2023 was $2.27 billion (10-K) [11]

“Denim” is one of the largest apparel segments by market share in the U.S., with jeans being top category for casual bottoms (industry report) [30]

EU jeans (HS 6203) average unit value was €7.8 per unit in 2023 (Eurostat) [31]

Gen Z consumers are most likely to buy jeans online; 55% purchase at least once online per year (industry survey) [32]

Millennials are more likely to buy mid-range jeans brands; 47% consider price-to-value (industry survey) [32]

Global denim fabric market size was valued at $64.32 billion in 2023 [33]

Global denim fabric market size is projected to reach $88.44 billion by 2030 [33]

Global denim fabric market forecast period 2024–2032 (as listed on the report page) [33]

Global denim fabric market CAGR reported as 4.6% (2024–2032) on the report page [33]

Global indigo market size was $2.0 billion in 2022 (reported by IMARC Group) [34]

Global indigo market is projected to reach $3.0 billion by 2033 (IMARC) [34]

Global indigo market forecast CAGR of 4.2% (2023–2033) (IMARC) [34]

Global denim jeans market size was $71.2 billion in 2022 (IMARC) [35]

Global denim jeans market is projected to reach $114.9 billion by 2033 (IMARC) [35]

Denim jeans market forecast CAGR of 5.1% (2023–2033) (IMARC) [35]

In 2022, global denim fabric production was 3.8 billion meters (industry estimate from Textile Exchange) [36]

In 2023, global denim fabric production increased to 4.0 billion meters (industry estimate from Textile Exchange) [36]

The share of sustainable denim in the denim market is 15% in 2024 (forecast from industry report page) [37]

The sustainable denim market is projected to grow at 6.0% CAGR from 2024 to 2030 (MarketsandMarkets) [37]

Global sustainable denim market size is expected to reach $3.9B by 2030 (MarketsandMarkets) [37]

In 2022, global cotton yield was 24.3 million metric tons (ICAC cotton) [38]

In 2022/23, global cotton consumption was 25.0 million metric tons (ICAC) [38]

Global polyester production was 63.3 million metric tons in 2023 (Plastics Insight report) [39]

Cotton share of global fibre consumption was 24% in 2023 (Textile Exchange Materials Market) [40]

Polyester share of global fibre consumption was 58% in 2023 (Textile Exchange Materials Market) [40]

Microfiber shedding from textiles is estimated at 500,000 to 1,000,000 tonnes per year to aquatic environments (peer-reviewed review by UNEP/GRID-Arendal cites) [41]

Microplastics from textile fibers are estimated to represent 35% of primary microplastics (UNEP report) [41]

Average water footprint of cotton jeans is 7,500 liters per pair (Water Footprint Network/peer-reviewed estimates) [42]

Average water footprint of a T-shirt is 2,500 liters (Water Footprint Network comparison paper) [42]

Dyeing and finishing processes consume about 20% of industrial water worldwide (UNEP) [43]

Globally, textile industry accounts for about 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions (UNEP) [44]

Global textile industry accounts for 20% of global wastewater (UNESCO/UNEP widely-cited figure) [45]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that the value of clothing is lost each year due to take-make-waste model at €460 billion (EMF/Circularity) [46]

The same EMF report estimates that 12.5 million tons of textile waste are generated globally each year (EMF) [46]

Recycled polyester share in global polyester demand was 13% in 2023 (Textile Exchange) [36]

Recycled cotton share in global cotton demand was 2% in 2023 (Textile Exchange) [36]

Global number of microfiber releases research indicates that 1 load of laundry can shed thousands of microfibers (study cited by UNEP) [41]

A typical washing machine load can shed 700,000 microfibers (Nylon/Polyester estimates in UNEP overview) [41]

The number of garment workers in Bangladesh is about 4.2 million (ILO) [47]

In Bangladesh, garment sector employs about 2.4 million people (ILO factsheet) [48]

In Cambodia, the garment and footwear sector employs about 800,000 workers (ILO) [49]

In Vietnam, the apparel sector employs about 2.5 million workers (ILO) [50]

In India, the textile and apparel sector employs about 45 million people (ILO/UN page) [51]

In Pakistan, textile sector employs about 15 million people (ILO) [51]

The share of women wearing jeans “frequently” is 42% in a 2022 consumer survey (McKinsey report) [52]

The share of men wearing jeans “frequently” is 38% in a 2022 consumer survey (McKinsey report) [52]

Leading global apparel exporter shipments: Bangladesh exported $43.9B of apparel in FY2022–23 (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association) [53]

Bangladesh apparel exports for FY2021–22 were $34.1B (BGMEA) [54]

Vietnam garment and textile exports reached $44.7B in 2022 (Vietnam textile & apparel association) [55]

Turkey denim fabric exports increased to $1.5B in 2022 (Turkish Statistical Institute trade data page) [56]

Pakistan textile exports were $19.6B in 2022–23 (Pakistan Bureau of Statistics press release) [57]

EU imported denim jeans (HS 6203) value reached €3.9B in 2023 (Eurostat Comext data for 6203) [31]

EU imported trousers/jeans HS 6203 in quantity was 99.2 million units in 2023 (Eurostat Comext) [31]

Global apparel exports were $609B in 2022 (WTO World Trade Statistical Review) [58]

Global clothing imports were $725B in 2022 (WTO) [58]

The U.S. imported “jeans” (HS 620342) value was $4.3B in 2023 (USITC DataWeb) [59]

The U.S. imported “denim trousers” (HS 620342) volume was 53.1 million kg in 2023 (USITC DataWeb) [59]

The U.S. imported denim jeans from China accounted for 46.8% of import value in 2023 (USITC DataWeb) [60]

Bangladesh was the leading supplier of “jeans” (HS 620342) to the EU in 2023 by value (Eurostat) [31]

India was among leading suppliers for EU jeans by value in 2023 (Eurostat) [31]