Knitted apparel (HS **) imports rose to NZ$*.*** billion (~$***.** million) in **** from NZ$*.*** billion in ****, up *.* per cent. However, volumes declined to ***.* million units from ***.* million units, indicating higher average unit prices and tighter inventory management by retailers seeking to avoid overstocking. In contrast, woven apparel (HS **) imports were largely flat at NZ$***.* million, marginally higher than NZ$***.* million a year earlier, while volumes increased to **.* million units from **.* million units, suggesting relatively stronger demand in certain non-knitted categories.
Textile fabric imports under HS ** recorded robust expansion. Imports climbed to NZ$**.** million in **** from NZ$**.** million in ****, a rise of **.* per cent. Volumes surged to ***.** million square metres compared with **.** million square metres in the previous year, pointing to stronger demand for intermediate textile inputs. This may reflect increased local processing activity, product diversification, or stock-building by manufacturers amid supply chain adjustments.
