France has become the top destination for Spanish knitwear exports. Italy and Portugal were the second and third highest importers of Spanish knitwear last year.
In 2012, Spanish knitwear exports surged by 22 percent year-on-year to nearly €480 million, according to data released by Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior (ICEX or Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade).
Italy imported €377 million worth of Spanish knitwear in 2012, showing a year-on-year increase of 16.2 percent.
The neighbouring Portugal imported Spanish knitwear worth €340 million last year, which was 10.8 percent less than imports of €381 million made in 2011, according to the data.
In terms of growth rate, Spanish knitwear exports to Ecuador skyrocketed 1359 percent year-on-year to €3.7 million in 2012.
Last year, Spanish knitwear exports totaled €2.988 billion, of which the autonomous provinces of Catalonia and Galicia contributed €1.101 billion and €1.097 billion, respectively.
The provinces of Aragon and Madrid accounted for knitwear exports of €290 million and €265 million, respectively.
