China leads; alternatives compete. China's share of US HS 6112 imports fell from 34.1% in 2024 to 26.8% in 2025 while Vietnam's rose to 34.3% (UN Comtrade).
Is China still the default source for activewear?
Not for US buyers. Activewear and sportswear are garments designed for exercise and sport, such as leggings, sports bras, performance T-shirts, track suits and swimwear, made mostly from synthetic knit fabric. In 2025 Vietnam passed China in the one US import heading built for sports garments, so the verdict is China leads; alternatives compete: Vietnam now leads in finished garments, China in the fabric behind them.
There is no single trade code for activewear, so the clearest measure is HS heading 6112, which covers track suits, ski suits and swimwear. UN Comtrade, the United Nations trade database, records the trade each country reports; here the "reporter" is the United States, recording its own imports. On that basis US imports under HS 6112 were $0.68 billion in 2025. Vietnam supplied 34.3%, China 26.8%, Indonesia 8.1%, Cambodia 6.1% and Sri Lanka 5.1%. In 2024 China had led with 34.1% to Vietnam's 29.1% (UN Comtrade, HS 6112).
Most activewear is not in HS 6112. Leggings and performance tees are classified as general knit garments, so the apparel-wide trend matters too. China held 14.6% of US imports in HS chapters 61 and 62 combined in 2025, down from 22.0% in 2024, on Comtrade data. OTEXA, the US Commerce Department's textile and apparel office, puts China's 2025 apparel share at 13.7%; the two figures use different product definitions.
The verdict would be different if it measured fabric. China exported 42.2% of the world's textiles in 2025 (WTO, World Trade Statistics), and the polyester, nylon and elastane knits that activewear depends on are largely Chinese whether the garment is sewn in Fujian or in Vietnam.
Where sportswear is made in China
Trade sources commonly place activewear production in a handful of clusters. None of their sizes or specialties has been confirmed in an official or academic document, so the list is a starting point for research, not a finding:
- Jinjiang and Shishi (Quanzhou, Fujian): sportswear and athletic footwear, and the home base of several Chinese sportswear brands.
- Xiamen (Fujian): sportswear.
- Yiwu (Zhejiang): circular-knit, no-side-seam knitwear.
- Dongguan and Guangzhou (Guangdong): performance apparel.
- Shantou (Guangdong): underwear and shapewear.
The better-documented point is supply-chain depth. China supplied almost two-thirds, about $9.6 billion, of Vietnam's fabric imports in 2023, and nearly three-quarters of Bangladesh's $8 billion in fabric imports (USITC Pub. 5543). Elastic, zippers and heat-transfer logos also usually come from Chinese suppliers when garments are sewn elsewhere.
How activewear production is organized
Activewear depends on synthetic knit fabrics (polyester, nylon and elastane, the stretch fiber sold as spandex) and on specialty processes that general garment lines may not have:
- flatlock and coverstitch sewing for flat, low-friction seams;
- bonding and laser-cutting in place of stitched hems;
- whole-garment circular knitting, which forms a garment as a tube with few or no side seams;
- sublimation printing, which dyes the print into polyester.
The production models are the same as for other apparel. In CMT (cut, make, trim) work the buyer supplies or nominates the fabric and trims; in the apparel "FOB" model the factory also buys the inputs and handles merchandising; a full-package supplier adds design, pattern making and logistics (USITC Pub. 5543, p. 23). A factory's ability to develop or source performance fabric is what separates a full-package activewear supplier from a sewing contractor.
Minimums and lead times
No government or academic source gives typical activewear MOQs (minimum order quantities). Structurally, the minimum is set by the fabric: a custom knit construction or custom color is bound by the mill's run minimum, while programs built on stock fabric allow smaller runs. Likewise there is no official China-specific lead-time figure. USITC reports an apparel industry standard below 90 days, with some buyers asking for shipment 15 to 21 days after order (Pub. 5543, pp. 84 and 121). Custom fabric development adds time before that clock starts.
How activewear is classified for US customs
Looking for an "activewear" HTS code is the most common starting error. Classification turns on garment type, knit or woven construction, fiber content and gender, so leggings, sports bras and track jackets each land in different lines. Most activewear falls in general headings: 6104 (women's knit suits, trousers and similar), 6109 (T-shirts), 6110 (sweaters and pullovers), 6114 (other knit garments) and 6212 (brassieres). Only a few lines are activity-specific: 6112 (track suits, ski suits and swimwear), 6211.11, 6211.12 and 6211.20 (swimwear and ski suits), and some 6211.3x and 6211.4x "other garments" that include certain track-suit items.
The MFN (column 1 general) rates, which are paid before any additional duty, differ widely. In HTSUS Revision 22, cotton track suits (6112.11.00) carry 14.9% and synthetic women's or girls' swimwear (6112.41.00) carries 24.9%. A licensed customs broker should confirm the line for each style before costing.
Tariffs on Chinese activewear, as of October 2026
Activewear garments from China pay three stacked layers on most lines.
| Layer | Instrument | Activewear coverage |
|---|---|---|
| MFN rate | HTSUS chapters 61 and 62 | Line-specific, e.g. 14.9% (6112.11.00), 24.9% (6112.41.00) |
| Section 301 List 4A, +7.5% | 9903.88.15 | Most Chapter 61 and 62 lines, including 6112.11.00 and 6112.41.00 |
| Section 301 forced-labor action, +12.5% | 9903.05.31, from 24 July 2026 | Products of China, subject to annex exceptions |
List 4A is the tranche of the China Section 301 action, begun in 2018, that carries 7.5%, listed in US Note 20 of HTSUS Chapter 99. In Chapter 61, 209 of 252 eight-digit subheadings are on it, and in Chapter 62, 359 of 395. The remaining lines appear on no list and must be checked individually; exclusions are not netted out of these counts.
The forced-labor action (dockets USTR-2026-0265 and -0266) also reaches the competing origins: 12.5% for Vietnam and 10% for Cambodia, Indonesia, Bangladesh and India. The USTR notice does not state how its duty combines with the 2018 lists, but HTSUS Chapter 99 U.S. note 52(a) says such goods "shall also be subject to any additional duty provided for in this subchapter", which stacks it on top. The IEEPA tariffs ended after the Supreme Court's 20 February 2026 decision in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, and the 10% Section 122 surcharge that replaced them expired on 24 July 2026.
Athletic shoes follow different rules. In 2025 Vietnam supplied 41.4% and China 32.3% of US imports of sports and textile-upper footwear (HS 6402 and 6404, $14.34 billion), and many of those lines sit on no Section 301 list while others are on List 4A.
US labeling, safety and chemical rules for activewear
- Labels. Fiber content, country of origin and manufacturer identity under the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act and 16 CFR Part 303; elastane is labeled under its generic name, spandex. Care labels under 16 CFR Part 423.
- Flammability. The clothing-textile standard at 16 CFR Part 1610 applies.
- Children's sizes. The CPSIA requires third-party testing and a Children's Product Certificate. Dyed textiles are exempt from lead testing, but prints and heat transfers are not (16 CFR 1500.91(d)(7)).
- PFAS. Water- and stain-repellent finishes on outdoor and performance wear are the main target of state PFAS laws, such as California AB 1817 for textile articles. Thresholds and effective dates have not been confirmed against statute text for this page.
- Prop 65. California warnings can apply to chemicals in prints, trims and coatings.
- UFLPA. The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act presumes that goods made wholly or partly in Xinjiang were made with forced labor. Fully synthetic garments carry lower risk than cotton, but not zero: a cotton blend, or polyester or viscose traced to Xinjiang, triggers the same presumption.
Where production is shifting, common mistakes and supplier checks
The 2025 data show sewing moving to Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia. USITC notes that while Cambodia does not produce very complex items overall, "a small number of factories produce higher-value items, such as performance wear, outerwear, intimates" (Pub. 5543). The fabric, trims and heat-transfer inputs often stay Chinese, which is why "moved to Vietnam" rarely means "left China".
Importers most often get four things wrong:
- Assuming synthetic means no UFLPA exposure. Cotton-blend and viscose components, and upstream polyester, can still trace to Xinjiang.
- Assuming a Vietnamese garment avoids all 2026 duties. The forced-labor action applies 12.5% to Vietnam as well.
- Treating athletic shoes like athletic apparel. Footwear has its own chapter, and its Section 301 coverage varies line by line.
- Costing before classifying. A swimsuit and a pair of leggings in the same fabric can carry different MFN rates.
Evaluating an activewear supplier means asking where the fabric is knitted and dyed, and for fiber-to-fabric traceability on any blend. It means checking that the factory runs the specific processes the design needs, such as circular knitting, bonding or sublimation, rather than subcontracting them without disclosure. It also means asking whether water-repellent finishes are PFAS-free, and for CPSC-accepted laboratory reports on prints and transfers in children's sizes.
Frequently asked questions
Is China still the main source of activewear for the US?
No, not by value. In US imports of track suits, ski suits and swimwear (HS 6112), Vietnam led in 2025 with 34.3% against China's 26.8%, according to UN Comtrade. Vietnam also led US apparel imports overall. China remains the main supplier of the synthetic performance fabric that factories in Vietnam and elsewhere sew, so its role has shifted upstream rather than disappeared.
What tariff applies to leggings or sports bras from China?
As of October 2026, most activewear garments from China pay the MFN rate for their specific Chapter 61 or 62 line, plus 7.5% under Section 301 List 4A, plus 12.5% under the forced-labor Section 301 action in effect since 24 July 2026, unless an annex exception applies. Leggings and sports bras fall in different headings, so each style must be classified before the duty can be calculated.
Is there an HTS code for activewear?
No. US customs classifies activewear by garment type, knit or woven construction, fiber content and gender, not by end use. Leggings, sports bras, performance tees and hoodies fall in general headings such as 6104, 6109, 6110, 6114 and 6212. Only track suits, ski suits and swimwear have activity-specific lines, in heading 6112 and parts of 6211.
Where are sportswear factories in China?
Trade sources most often name Jinjiang and Shishi in Quanzhou, Fujian, along with Xiamen, for sportswear and athletic shoes; Yiwu in Zhejiang for circular-knit, no-side-seam knitwear; Dongguan and Guangzhou in Guangdong for performance apparel; and Shantou for underwear and shapewear. These clusters are widely cited but have not been confirmed in official or academic sources, so verify any individual factory's location and capabilities directly.
Do activewear labels need fiber content?
Yes. Under the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act and 16 CFR Part 303, activewear sold in the US needs a label showing fiber content, country of origin and the manufacturer or dealer's identity. Elastane is listed under its generic name, spandex. A permanent care label is also required under the FTC Care Labeling Rule, 16 CFR Part 423.
Is synthetic activewear exempt from UFLPA?
No. The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act applies to any good made wholly or partly in Xinjiang, regardless of fiber. Fully synthetic garments carry lower risk than cotton apparel, but a cotton blend, a viscose component or polyester traced to Xinjiang triggers the same rebuttable presumption. Importers need supply-chain records that reach back past the fabric mill to the fiber.
Sources
- World Trade Organization — World Trade Statistics, Table 22: Top 10 exporters and importers of clothing, 2025
- U.S. International Trade Commission — USITC Pub. 5543, Cambodia profile, n. 672 (citing Government of Cambodia, Industrial Transformation Map, March…
- U.S. International Trade Commission — Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Revision 22 (2026), Chapter 99, Subchapter III, U.S. Note 20
- Office of the U.S. Trade Representative — Notice of Actions in Section 301 Investigations of Acts, Policies, and Practices of Various Economies Rela…
- comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/A/HS?reporterCode=842&period=2025&cmd…
- globaltextileacademy.intracen.org/blocks/itcfiles/dataProvider.php?id=3069&a…
- hts.usitc.gov/reststop/file?release=currentRelease&filename=Chapter%2061
- ecfr.gov/current/title-16/section-1500.91