🇬🇧 United Kingdom imports of cotton sewing thread: 2024 trade data
Imports of cotton sewing thread by the United Kingdom reached $2.2 million in 2024 (308 tonnes). Its share of world imports was 2%. Value fell 15% from 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable. The peak in this period was 2022, at $2.8 million.
Public statistics, latest reported year 2024. Values in US dollars.
Imports of cotton sewing thread by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2.2M | 308 t |
| 2023 | $2.6M | 261 t |
| 2022 | $2.8M | 343 t |
| 2021 | $2.5M | 408 t |
| 2020 | $2.6M | 222 t |
| 2019 | $2.2M | 399 t |
| 2018 | $2.7M | 333 t |
| 2017 | $2.0M | 307 t |
Where the United Kingdom imports cotton sewing thread from
Most of the value came from China (46%), Greece (9%), Germany (6%). Among the main suppliers, Pakistan grew fastest (+455% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇳 China | $999K | 46% |
| 🇬🇷 Greece | $191K | 8.8% |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | $138K | 6.3% |
| 🇮🇳 India | $136K | 6.3% |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | $128K | 5.9% |
| 🇵🇪 Peru | $117K | 5.4% |
| 🇵🇰 Pakistan | $77K | 3.5% |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | $45K | 2.1% |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $37K | 1.7% |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | $36K | 1.7% |
Types of cotton sewing thread under HS 5204
| 5204.20 | Cotton: sewing thread, put up for retail sale | 58% |
| 5204.11 | Cotton: sewing thread, containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, not put up for retail sale | 34% |
| 5204.19 | Cotton: sewing thread, containing less than 85% by weight of cotton, not put up for retail sale | 8.2% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 5204.
Average import price of cotton sewing thread
The average declared value was about $7.09 per kg, 35% above the world average of $5.26. This usually points to higher-grade or processed goods.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
The United Kingdom also exports cotton sewing thread
In 2024, the United Kingdom exported cotton sewing thread worth $555 thousand (22 tonnes). The largest buyer markets were Morocco (27%), Ireland (14%), United States (10%). Among the main buyer markets, India grew fastest, more than tenfold on the year before.
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🇲🇦 Morocco | $152K | 27% |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | $77K | 14% |
| 🇺🇸 United States | $55K | 10% |
| 🇮🇳 India | $31K | 5.5% |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | $24K | 4.3% |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium | $20K | 3.6% |
| 🇫🇷 France | $17K | 3.1% |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | $16K | 2.8% |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $15K | 2.7% |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | $11K | 2% |
Who is behind these numbers in the United Kingdom?
Public statistics stop at country totals and the last published year. EximDataX shows the shipment records underneath: the companies, dates, quantities and declared values, updated weekly.
Shipment records are in the platform
Tell us what you trade and we will show you the latest records on a live call.
Direct customs feed: shipment-level records from the official customs source.
Updated weekly on EximDataX (some markets daily), while public statistics stop at 2024.
Source: CEPII BACI (reconciled UN Comtrade data), HS 2017 edition, release 202601, Etalab Open Licence 2.0. Annual values in US dollars at the customs border; quantities in tonnes where reported. HS 5204: Cotton sewing thread, whether or not put up for retail sale.
Cotton sewing thread trade in the United Kingdom: questions
What is the value of cotton sewing thread imported by the United Kingdom?
The United Kingdom imported cotton sewing thread worth $2.2 million in 2024 (308 tonnes).
Where does the United Kingdom import cotton sewing thread from?
The main supplier countries in 2024 were China (46%), Greece (9%), Germany (6%).
What is the average import price of cotton sewing thread in the United Kingdom?
The average declared import value was about $7.09 per kg in 2024, against a world average of $5.26 per kg.
Does the United Kingdom export cotton sewing thread?
Yes. The United Kingdom exported cotton sewing thread worth $555 thousand in 2024, mainly to Morocco, Ireland, United States.
What is the HS code for cotton sewing thread?
Cotton sewing thread falls under HS heading 5204 (Cotton sewing thread, whether or not put up for retail sale). The six-digit codes under it split the product by type.
How can I find the companies trading cotton sewing thread with the United Kingdom?
These public statistics stop at country level. EximDataX has a direct customs feed for the United Kingdom with shipment-level records, updated weekly, where you can see the importers and exporters by name.
Cotton sewing thread trade in other countries
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