Economic Operation Overview of Global Smart Sewing Equipment in 2024

In 2024, the global smart sewing equipment industry showed a differentiated development trend in a complex economic environment​

I. Overall market and growth trend

The slow recovery of the global economy has brought development opportunities to the industry. Although there is a lack of accurate overall scale data for global smart sewing equipment, the trend of the industry can be seen from the global sewing machinery trade data. In 2024, the global import and export trade volume of sewing machinery reached US$3.85 billion, a year-on-year increase of 0.72%, and the trade surplus was nearly US$3 billion, an increase of US$1.036 billion over the previous year. Among them, the export value was US$3.424 billion, a year-on-year increase of 18.39%, recovering to the high level in 2022, and an increase of 37.76% over 2019. 3.12 million automatic industrial sewing machines were exported, with an export value of US$1.112 billion, a year-on-year increase of 9.53% and 19.18% respectively, and the share of industrial sewing machine exports increased, showing that the global demand for smart sewing equipment is on the rise.

II. Regional Market Performance

• Asian Market: As the world's largest and fastest growing market, Asian sewing machine imports reached US$2.327 billion in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 28.52%, accounting for 67.97% of the world's total sewing machine imports. The textile industries in India, Vietnam and other countries are booming, and companies are actively introducing smart sewing equipment to improve production efficiency and reduce costs.

• African Market: The African market's sewing machine imports in 2024 were US$337 million, a year-on-year increase of 17.94%, accounting for about 9.85% of the world's total sewing machine imports for the whole year. With the gradual development of the African economy, the textile and garment industry has received attention. Some countries have built industrial parks to develop labor-intensive industries, which has driven the demand for smart sewing equipment. For example, Ethiopia has attracted a lot of investment, driving the purchase of related equipment.​

• ​ Latin America Market: Driven by the recovery of the Brazilian market and others, the import value of sewing machinery in the Latin American region reached $332 million in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 13.10%, accounting for approximately 9.68% of the global total import value of sewing machinery for the year. The region's textile and apparel industry has a certain foundation. The economic upturn has prompted enterprises to upgrade their equipment, and intelligent sewing machinery, with its performance advantages, is gradually expanding its market share.

• European and American Markets: In 2024, the import value of sewing machinery in the European market was $277 million, a year-on-year decrease of 15.44%; the import value in the North American market was $132 million, a year-on-year decrease of 14.87%. The textile and apparel industry in the European and American regions has seen a contraction in scale, with the market becoming increasingly mature. The demand is mainly focused on equipment renewal, and there is a lack of growth momentum. Geopolitical conflicts and factors such as the U.S. presidential election have increased economic uncertainty, leading to a reduced willingness to invest among downstream enterprises. These companies are also more cautious when purchasing intelligent sewing machinery.​

III. Market Segmentation Trends

• Industrial Smart Sewing Equipment
  Dominates the current market. In 2024, global exports of industrial sewing machines reached USD 1.522 billion, marking a 16.48% year-on-year growth, with automated industrial sewing machines showing particularly strong performance. Equipped with features like automatic threading and pattern recognition, these intelligent machines meet demands for large-scale, high-efficiency, and premium-quality garment production. They have become the preferred choice for equipment upgrades, particularly dominating in fast fashion apparel production.

• Household Smart Sewing Solutions
  Emerging growth sector. Global household sewing machine exports totaled 10.68 million units (including nearly 2.9 million manual devices) in 2024, generating USD 286 million in export value, representing respective increases of 22.06% and 9.41% year-on-year. Rising living standards and growing demand for DIY crafts/personalized clothing drive this trend. Modern household smart sewing machines attract consumers through user-friendly operation and multifunctionality, with advanced models offering mobile APP connectivity for enhanced customization.

      Smart embroidery sewing equipment

• There will be a significant increase in 2024. A total of 96,000 embroidery machines were exported worldwide, with a year-on-year decrease of 19.37% in export volume, but the export value reached US$600 million, with the fastest growth rate of 38.41%. Consumers' demand for personalized and artistic clothing and home textile products is growing. Intelligent embroidery equipment can accurately embroider complex patterns and improve production efficiency. Global product upgrades and the release of market demand in India, Pakistan and other markets have driven export growth.

In 2024, the development of the global smart sewing equipment industry in regions and product segments will differ significantly. In the future, we need to pay close attention to changes in economy, technology, policies and market demand, seize opportunities and meet challenges.