Category: Fashion and Apparel Studies
Are China’s apparel imports a growing opportunity for Asian developing countries (ADCs)?
June 01, 2026 Written by CAS Communication Staff
Research by Sheng Lu, professor and director of graduate studies in the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies, examines China's rapidly growing apparel imports from developing Asian countries such as Vietnam, Bangladesh and Cambodia.
The study , “Are China’s apparel imports a growing opportunity for Asian developing countries (ADC)?” appeared in the (Journal of Chinese Economic and Foreign Trade Studies, 2026). It analyzed 8,000 apparel products sold in China's retail market and found that, despite remaining the world's largest apparel exporter, China has increasingly become an important apparel import market as production shifts within Asia and regional supply chains become more integrated. The research also found that apparel imported into China from developing Asian countries is no longer limited to basic products and is increasingly featuring sustainable materials such as recycled and organic fibers.
Lu’s research was cited by Sourcing Journal in an article discussing global trade and sourcing.
