To reduce costs and circumvent trade barriers such as tariffs, several international apparel brands in recent years have sought to lessen their reliance on supply chains in the Chinese Mainland. Nevertheless, in the apparel sector, suppliers and manufacturers from the Chinese Mainland remain pivotal players in the global fashion market.
Based on publicly available data, Luxe.CO conducted a study of the global supplier lists of two leading U.S.-listed fashion companies: Ralph Lauren Corporation and PVH Corp. (the parent company of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger). The study analyzed the characteristics of their China-based supply chains, detailed in the following four charts.
—— 251 Suppliers Located in the Chinese Mainland, Accounting for 17% Globally
By combining data from both groups, the total supplier list covers 1,465 suppliers worldwide, of which 251 are located in the Chinese Mainland, accounting for 17%.
—— Spanning 17 Provincial-Level Regions in China, Guangdong Is the Most Concentrated Manufacturing Hub
Geographically, these suppliers are spread across 17 provincial-level regions in the Chinese Mainland (including provinces, autonomous regions, special administrative regions, and municipalities), forming an industrial belt primarily concentrated along the southeastern coast. Guangdong Province has the highest share, followed by Fujian, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu provinces.
A total of 113 suppliers are based in Guangdong Province, representing 46% of all China-based suppliers.
At the city level, these suppliers are distributed across 64 cities (including prefecture-level cities, municipalities, and special administrative regions, excluding county-level cities).
Among them, 50 suppliers are located in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, accounting for as much as 20% of all China-based suppliers.
They are followed by Quanzhou in Fujian Province (6%) and Zhongshan in Guangdong Province (6%).
—— Covering a Full Value Chain from Fabrics to Finished Apparel, Apparel Manufacturers Account for 43%
In terms of industry segments, the China-based suppliers on the list are engaged in a wide range of product categories and production stages, including the manufacturing of apparel, footwear, home goods, beauty and personal care products, sports goods, and food, as well as the production of accessories, raw materials, and textiles.
Apparel manufacturing holds the highest proportion at 43%, followed by footwear manufacturing at 14%.
By regional distribution within these segments, apparel manufacturers are mainly based in Guangdong Province, followed by Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Fujian, and Shandong provinces.
Footwear manufacturers are primarily located in Guangdong and Fujian provinces; home goods manufacturers are more dispersed, found in Shandong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Guangdong; raw materials and accessories production is concentrated in Guangdong Province; and textile production is centered in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces.
| Image Credit: Produced by Luxe.CO
| Editor: Zhu Ruoyu
