Printed light plain cotton fabric imports in the United Kingdom: data, top suppliers and prices
The United Kingdom imported $5.8 million of printed light plain cotton fabric in 2024 (191 tonnes). Its share of world imports was 2%. That is 12% more than in 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable. The peak in this period was 2019, at $7.6 million.
Public statistics, latest complete year (2024). Values in US dollars. Page updated .
Imports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $5.8M | 191 t |
| 2023 | $5.2M | 141 t |
| 2022 | $4.0M | 190 t |
| 2021 | $2.3M | 187 t |
| 2020 | $4.4M | 179 t |
| 2019 | $7.6M | 321 t |
| 2018 | $7.3M | 693 t |
| 2017 | $4.8M | 308 t |
Where the United Kingdom imports printed light plain cotton fabric from
Italy alone supplied 65% of it. Among the main suppliers, India grew fastest (+45% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | $3.8M | 65% |
| India | $805K | 14% |
| China | $366K | 6.3% |
| Indonesia | $222K | 3.8% |
| South Korea | $178K | 3.1% |
| Pakistan | $103K | 1.8% |
| United States | $90K | 1.6% |
| Thailand | $89K | 1.5% |
| Germany | $68K | 1.2% |
| Japan | $36K | 0.6% |
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $30.45 per kg, 39% above the world average of $21.95. 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.
Printed light plain cotton fabric exports from the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom exported $1.2 million of printed light plain cotton fabric in 2024 (18 tonnes). Most of it went to United Arab Emirates (44%), Qatar (20%), Kenya (6%). Among the main buyer markets, Qatar grew fastest (+282% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | $548K | 44% |
| Qatar | $252K | 20% |
| Kenya | $73K | 5.9% |
| New Zealand | $56K | 4.6% |
| Netherlands | $55K | 4.5% |
| United States | $43K | 3.5% |
| South Korea | $29K | 2.3% |
| Bulgaria | $20K | 1.6% |
| Madagascar | $19K | 1.5% |
| Australia | $17K | 1.4% |
Who is behind these numbers in the United Kingdom?
The shipment records behind United Kingdom printed light plain cotton fabric imports (HS 5208.51): companies, dates, quantities and declared values.
Shipment records are in the platform
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Direct customs feed: shipment-level records from the official customs source.
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 5208.51: Fabrics, woven: containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, printed, plain weave, weighing not more than 100g/m2.
Common questions
What is the value of printed light plain cotton fabric imported by the United Kingdom?
The United Kingdom imported printed light plain cotton fabric worth $5.8 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 191 tonnes. That ranks it 11th of 174 countries worldwide, with 2% of world imports. The value was up 12% on 2023.
Which countries supply printed light plain cotton fabric to the United Kingdom?
Italy was the largest supplier with 65% of the value ($3.8 million), followed by India (14%) and China (6%). The top three together account for 85%, out of 26 supplier countries in total. Thailand grew fastest among the top ten, up 582% on the year.
What is the average import price of printed light plain cotton fabric per kg?
The average declared import value was about $30.45 per kg in 2024, 39% above the world average of $21.95 per kg. Because it averages all grades and sizes, treat the figure as a market benchmark, not a price offer.
How have imports of printed light plain cotton fabric to the United Kingdom changed since 2017?
Imports went from $4.8 million in 2017 to $5.8 million in 2024, an increase of 22%. The peak was 2019 at $7.6 million. Over 8 years the average was $5.2 million a year.
Does the United Kingdom also export printed light plain cotton fabric?
Yes. The United Kingdom exported $1.2 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kenya. On balance the United Kingdom is a net importer of this product, by about $4.6 million a year.
What is the HS code for printed light plain cotton fabric?
The HS code for printed light plain cotton fabric is subheading 5208.51. It sits in HS chapter 52 (cotton). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 5208 page.
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
The totals here are public statistics; the company-level detail sits in EximDataX, which has a direct customs feed for the United Kingdom. Tell us your product to see it live.
Same product, other countries
World printed light plain cotton fabric trade: top importers and exporters
More trade data for the United Kingdom
- Dyed light woven cotton fabric (other weaves)
- Printed medium plain cotton fabric
- Bleached light woven cotton fabric (other weaves)
- Printed light woven cotton fabric (other weaves)
- Dyed medium plain cotton fabric
- Unbleached medium plain cotton fabric
- Bleached medium plain cotton fabric
- Unbleached light plain cotton fabric
- All United Kingdom trade data
- HS 5208 codes
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