Cambodia's textile industry export growth and strengthened linkage with China's PTA

Since the beginning of this year, the global textile supply chain has continued to undergo deep adjustments, and Southeast Asia has become an important growth pole for the textile industry with its cost and trade advantages. According to data from the General Administration of Customs of Cambodia, the country's exports of clothing and footwear products reached 3.21 billion US dollars in the first quarter of 2026, a year-on-year increase of 8.2%, indicating continued resilience in the industry. At the same time, China's PTA exports continue to show a positive trend, with an export volume of 311300 tons in March. Southeast Asia and surrounding regions such as India and Vietnam have become core export markets.

In the first quarter, the overall clothing, footwear, and travel goods industry in Cambodia showed a stable growth trend. The export value of clothing and apparel products reached 2.69 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 7.5%, accounting for 83.8% of the total export value of textiles, shoes, and clothing. The export value of knitted clothing was 1.58 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 7.7%; The export value of non knitted clothing exceeded 1 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 3.4%. The export value of other textiles was 110 million US dollars, a significant increase of 61.1% year-on-year, demonstrating the potential for expansion in areas such as bedding and decorative textiles. The export value of footwear products reached 520 million US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 11.8%, with a growth rate higher than that of the clothing category.

The upstream raw material market is closely linked with downstream textile manufacturing. In March 2026, China's PTA export volume reached 311300 tons, with exports concentrated in India, Vietnam, Egypt, Russia, and Bangladesh, with the top five markets accounting for over 80% of the total export volume. Among them, India has risen to become the primary export region, with an export volume of about 112000 tons, a significant increase from February; Vietnam and Egypt rank second and third respectively, with export volumes of 68400 tons and 39000 tons. The combined proportion of Southeast Asia and South Asia exceeds 60%, becoming an important growth engine for China's PTA exports.

More than 90% of the fabrics and raw materials in Cambodia's textile, footwear, and apparel industry rely on imports, with China being one of its main suppliers of raw materials. With the gradual recovery of the global consumer market and the implementation of relevant trade preferential policies, the Southeast Asian textile industry is expected to maintain stable growth, which will continue to drive China's PTA and textile raw material export demand.