The World Apparel Fibre Consumption Survey recently completed by the Economic and Social Development Department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (EST/FAO) and the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) revealed the latest developments in world fibre consumption during and after the world recession.
The Survey estimates the quantity of cotton, wool, flax, cellulosic, and synthetic fibres available for final consumption in the form of apparel goods for 112 countries and 25 regions, accounting for 96% of world textile apparel fibre consumption.
In this update of the World Apparel Fibre Consumption Survey, estimates for 2004-2008 were revised and updated through 2010, and new groupings reflecting relevant geopolitical clusters of countries have been added to the report: African Continent, Andean Community, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), EU-27, Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Southern Hemisphere, and Northern Hemisphere.
Highlights of the 2013 Update
After peaking in 2007 at 67.7 million tons, textile fibre consumption declined 4.3% to 64.9 million tons in 2008.
Demand destruction of textile fibres amounted to 2.9 million tons. In 2009, total textile fibre demand increased by 0.4% to 65.1 million tons. In 2010, total textile fibre demand increased by 4.6 million tons to 69.7 million tons.
This new record consumption level surpassed the previous record in 2007 by 2.0 million tons. The main driver of the recovery was the synthetic (non-cellulosic) fibre group: at 41.9 million tons, demand for synthetic fibres in 2010 exceeded its level in 2007 by 4.3 million tons.
