Textile and clothing industry in Germany - statistics & facts
Germany is home to a number of apparel brands, the cheaper of which tend to produce in countries such as China and Bangladesh, before the items are shipped to Germany. C&A, one-of the best-known apparel retailers in the country, generated a revenue of around 2.2 billion euros in 2022/2023. While this was an increase compared to the year before, it was still less than in previous, pre-pandemic years. Other familiar brands in this segment included Ernstings family, s. Oliver and Marc O'Polo, as well as internationally successful heavyweights Adidas, Nike and Puma. Clothing and textile brands have encountered closer attention from the media and consumers alike in recent years, as the industry is a massive contributor to environmental and sustainability issues through its production methods.
On average, annual gross earnings of a clothing industry employee in Germany amounted to 55,193 euros as of 2023. After a dip in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, figures have begun to increase again. Also in 2023, textile industry employees earned less by comparison, with an annual gross average of 47,048 euros.