12 Mar
Clothing Retail Industry Analysis
The top clothing retailers in the world are contributing to a very fast-growing clothing retail industry in 2020. BizVibe’s clothing retail industry analysis shows that the market grew by approximately 5.46 percent in 2019 with an expected peak growth rate of 6.2 percent in 2020. The USA and China have the largest clothing retail markets in the world as of 2020. The largest clothing manufacturers in the world are Inditex Zara, Fast Retailing (Uniqlo), Hennes & Mauritz (H&M), and many more covered by BizVibe on this list and a complete breakdown of the top clothing retailers in the world and the clothing retail industry as a whole.
This fact sheet is to assist business professionals, investors, and people in general that are interested in the field figure out the ins and outs of the clothing retail industry including:
- Discover who the top 10 clothing retailers in the world are in 2020?
- Which countries are the largest garment exporters in the world?
- The cheapest country to manufacture clothes?
- A complete clothing retail industry analysis and clothing retail industry statistics that you should know.
- What are the retail apparel industry trends in 2020 and the future of the market?
BizVibe is already helping the top clothing retailers in the world connect. Connect and track the latest news and insights from these companies.
Top Clothing Retail Industry Statistics in 2020
- The total value of the clothing retail industry was $292 billion last year.
- Athletic wear is the top-performing category for the retail apparel industry — markets saw 8.5% growth.
- 55% of apparel and footwear sales originated from outside of North America or Europe.
- Asia is the leading exporter of apparel products in the world, with China leading the way with over 36% market shares.
- Bangladesh is the fastest growing apparel exporter in the world, reaching a value of more than $25 billion in 2015.
- China and Hong Kong lead the world in apparel exports in total cash value, with over $185 billion in total value.
- 91% of retail apparel companies source products from China, making it the primary destination for fashion and clothing.
- 36% of firms expect to increase sourcing from Vietnam in the next 24 months.
- 36% say they are considering sourcing from Bangladesh.
- What is the cheapest country to manufacture clothes? China is no longer the cheapest source of labor. Garment worker wages in Mexico are over 25% lower than garment worker wages in China
Ranking the Top 10 Clothing Retailers in the World in 2020 by Sales Revenue
Who are the top clothing retailers in the world? The following is a list of the largest clothing manufacturers in the world in 2020, based on 2019 fiscal year sales revenue.
Rank |
Company |
Country |
Sales Revenue (USD billions) |
| 1 | INDITEX (ZARA) | Spain | 28.89 |
| 2 | FAST RETAILING(UNIQLO) | Japan | 21.51 |
| 3 | Hennes & Mauritz | Sweden | 21.5 |
| 4 | Gap | USA | 16.58 |
| 5 | Limited Brands | USA | 13.24 |
| 6 | PVH (Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger) | USA | 9.66 |
| 7 | Ralph Lauren | USA | 6.31 |
| 8 | NEXT | UK | 5.08 |
| 9 | AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS | USA | 4.04 |
| 10 | Abercrombie & Fitch | USA | 3.59 |
1. Inditex (Zara)
Ranking number 1 on BizVibe’s list of the top 10 clothing retailers in the world in 2020 is Inditex, a Spanish multinational clothing retailer owned by the Ortega family. Inditex was founded in A Coruña, Spain 34 years ago in 1985, the company is now the largest fashion group in the world operating in over 93 markets, with over 7292 stores worldwide. Inditex is mainly known for its very popular brand, and flagship store Zara, but also operates many popular chains in the world including Zara Home, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Oysho, Pull and Bear, Stradivarius and Uterqüe.
Inditex led all fashion companies in the world in sales revenue achieving 28.89 billion USD in sales revenue at the end of the fiscal year 2019. What makes Inditex unique, is its fast production, usually consisting of new styles being prototype sin just 5 days based on customer feedback. Inditex thrives on being on the cutting edge of the clothing retail industry at all times — making them one of the most well-recognized and largest clothing manufacturers in the world, and why they are number 1 on BizVibe’s list of the top 10 clothing retailers in the world ranked by sales revenue.
Inditex Brands
- Zara
- Zara Home
- Massimo Dutti
- Bershka
- Oysho
- Pull and Bear
- Stradivarius
- Uterqüe
Inditex Number of Locations: 7292
Inditex Headquarters: Arteixo (A Coruña), Spain
Inditex Revenue 2019: 28.89 billion USD
Year Founded: 1845
2. Fast Retailing (Uniqlo)
Fast Retailing is a Japanese holding company that operates the immensely popular Uniqlo brand. In addition to Uniqlo, the company also operates several other brands, including J Brand, Comptoir des Cotonniers, GU, Princesse Tam-Tam, and Theory. Fast Retailing was founded back in 1963 in Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan and has its current headquarters in Yamaguchi, Japan as well. In the 2019 fiscal year, revenues for Fast Retailing were the 2nd largest in the world at 21.51 billion USD, trailing only Inditex.
Fast Retailing’s most popular flagship brand is Uniqlo, the Japanese casual wear company popular all over the world. It’s currently the fastest-growing retailer in Japan operating over 2249 Uniqlo stores alone. Due to its amazing growth and coming in 2nd in global sales revenue, Fast Retailing is 2nd on BizVibe’s list of the top clothing retailers in the world for 2020.
Fast Retailing Brands
- Uniqlo
- J Brand
- Comptoir des Cotonniers
- GU
- Princesse Tam-Tam
- Theory
Fast Retailing (Uniqlo) Number of Stores: 2249
Fast Retailing Headquarters: Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi, Japan
Fast Retailing Revenue 2019: 21.51 billion USD
Year Founded: 1963
3. Hennes & Mauritz (H&M)
3rd on BizVibe’s list of the top 10 clothing retailers in the world is H&M. Founded back in 1947, the Swedish multinational clothing retailer H&M is now a staple in fast-fashion. Currently, H&M operates in over 74 countries and has 5,076 stores globally.
In the fiscal year 2019, Hennes & Mauritz ranked 3rd in sales revenue among the top clothing retailers in the world at 21.50 billion USD, and ranking also 3rd in market capitalization. H&M’s current headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden.
Hennes & Mauritz Brands
- H&M
- COS
- & Other Stories
- ARKET
- FaBric Scandinavien AB
- Cheap Monday
- Monki
- WEEKDAY
Hennes & Mauritz Number of Stores: 5,076
Hennes & Mauritz Headquarters: Stockholm, Sweden
Hennes & Mauritz Revenue 2019: 21.50 billion USD
Year Founded: 1947
4. The Gap
After the top 3 clothing retailers on our list, the next 4 companies are all American, starting with American clothing retailer The Gap. The Gap was founded back in 1969 by Donald and Doris Fisher with its current headquarters in San Francisco, California. The company operates 6 primary divisions in addition to The Gap, including well-known brands like The Banana Republic and Old Navy. Currently, The Gap is the largest specialty retailer in the USA.
In the 2019 fiscal year, The Gap’s sales revenue reached 16.58 billion USD and the company currently operates 3,594 — making The Gap one of the largest clothing manufacturers in the world.
The Gap Brands
- GAP
- Banana Republic
- Old Navy
- Intermix
- Hill City
- Athleta
The Gap Number of Stores: 3594
The Gap Headquarters: San Francisco, California, U.S.
The Gap Revenue 2019: 16.58 billion USD
Year Founded: 1969
5. L Brands
5th on our list of the top clothing retailers in the world is American fashion retail company L Brands. L Brands is known for its flagship brands Bath & Body Works and previously Victoria’s Secret. Founded 57 years ago in 1963, L Brands reached global revenues of 13.24 billion USD in the 2019 fiscal year.
L Brands Number of Employees: 59,200
L Brands Headquarters: Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
L Brands Revenue 2019: 13.24 billion USD
Year Founded: 1963
6. PVH
PVH is an American clothing retailer known for operating some of the most popular apparel brands in the world including Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein. One of the oldest corporations on this list, PVH Corp., was founded back in 1881 and its current headquarters are in Manhattan, New York City, U.S.A.
In 2019, PVH’s fiscal year revenues reached 9.66 billion USD — making the company of the top clothing retailers in the world by sales revenue.
PVH Brands
- Van Heusen
- Tommy Hilfiger
- Calvin Klein
- IZOD
- Arrow
- Warner’s
- Olga
- True & Co.,
- Geoffrey Beene
PVH Number of Employees: 19,600 full-time & 16,900 part-time
PVH Headquarters: Manhattan, New York City, U.S.A
PVH Revenue 2019: 9.66 billion USD
Year Founded: 1881
7. Ralph Lauren
The American clothing retailer Ralph Lauren Corporation ranks 7th on BizVibe’s list of the biggest clothing brands in the world. Founded in 1967, with current headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S. Ralph Lauren is one of the most recognized brands in the world and operate multiple products line including luxury clothing, footwear, fragrances, housewares, furniture, and jewelry. In 2019, Ralph Lauren achieved sales revenues of 6.31 billion USD.
Ralph Lauren Brands
- Ralph Lauren Women’s Collection and Ralph Lauren Purple Label
- Ralph Lauren Watches and Fine Jewelry
- Ralph by Ralph Lauren
- Polo Ralph Lauren
- Polo Sport
- Double RL
- Lauren Ralph Lauren
- Polo Golf and RLX Golf
- Pink Pony
- Polo Ralph Lauren Children
- Denim & Supply Ralph Lauren
- Chaps
- Club Monaco
- American Living
- Ralph Lauren Home and Paint
- Fragrance
- Ralph Lauren Restaurants
Ralph Lauren Number of Employees: 18,250
Ralph Lauren Headquarters: New York City, New York, U.S.
Ralph Lauren Revenue 2019: 6.31 billion USD
Year Founded: 1967
8. NEXT
NEXT is a UK-based clothing retailer headquartered in Enderby, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom. NEXT is the largest clothing retailer in the UK and was founded 156 years ago in 1864. The company operates over 700 stores worldwide and is best known for its clothing, footwear, and home products. In 2019, NEXT achieved globals sales revenues of 5.08 billion USD.
NEXT Main Channels
- Next Retail: A chain of 550+ retail branches in the United Kingdom.
- Next Directory: Home shopping catalog and Website.
- Next International: 180+ international stores.
NEXT Global Number of Employees: 43,970
NEXT Global Headquarters: Enderby, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom
NEXT Global Revenue 2019: 5.08 billion USD
Year Founded: 1864
9. American Eagle Outfitters
9th on the list of the top 10 clothing retailers in the world is the American clothing and accessories retailer American Eagle Outfitters. Founded in 1977 with headquarters currently in Pittsburg, American Eagle Outfitters reached global sales revenues of 4.04 billion USD in the fiscal year 2019 and is projected to continue growing at a fast rate.
Operating over 1,000 stores worldwide, the brand is known for targeting a younger demographic with its styles and product.
American Eagle Outfitters Global Number of Locations: 934 American Eagle Outfitters, 115 Aeries
American Eagle Outfitters Global Headquarters: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
American Eagle Outfitters Global Revenue 2019: 4.04 billion USD
Year Founded: 1977
10. Abercrombie & Fitch
Known for their casual wear, Abercrombie & Fitch was founded 127 years ago in 1892 in Manhattan, New York. Current with its headquarters in New Albany, Abercrombie & Fitch reached global revenues of 3.59 billion USD — making the company of the top clothing retailers in the world by global revenues in 2020.
Abercrombie & Fitch Brands
- Abercrombie Kids
- Hollister Co.
- Gilly Hicks
- Ruehl No.925
Abercrombie & Fitch Global Number of Locations: 1,049
Abercrombie & Fitch Global Headquarters: New Albany, Ohio, U.S.
Abercrombie & Fitch Global Revenue 2019: 3.59 billion USD
Year Founded: 1892
This is BizVibe’s list of the top clothing retailers in the world by sales revenue based on 2019 fiscal year data. These companies are changing the way businesses are innovating in the clothing retail industry.
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Largest Garment Exporter in the World
Rank |
Country |
Textile Exports (USD billions) |
| 1 | China | $119 |
| 2 | EU | $74 |
| 3 | India | $18 |
| 4 | USA | $14 |
| 5 | Turkey | $12 |
| 6 | Republic of Korea | $10 |
| 7 | Chinese Taipei | $9 |
| 8 | Vietnam | $8 |
| 9 | Pakistan | $8 |
| 10 | Hong Kong | $7 |
Source: Statista
- China was the top-ranked global textile exporter with a value of approximately 119 billion U.S. dollars (37.6 percent of the global market share).
- EU captured 23.5 percent of the global market share at an export value of 74 billion U.S. dollars.
- India is also amongst the top textile producing countries in the world; with exports of 18 billion U.S. dollars in 2018.
The Future for the Top Clothing Retailers in the World
Beyond 2020, the future of the clothing retail industry looks promising as the top clothing retailers continue to innovate with products, distributions and how the leading apparel manufacturers create products. Expect the industry to keep grown and the key players to play a vital role in its growth.
