Argentina, new fertile ground for global fast fashion: Record imports in 2025

Buenos Aires – The combination of a more accessible dollar and the opening of imports is already having a strong impact on the Argentine textile industry, in a scenario where Chinese "fast fashion" giants are gaining more and more ground.

According to data from the Argentine Chamber of the Apparel Industry (CIAI), in the first five months of 2025, clothing imports into Argentina reached almost 253 million dollars and exceeded 73 million kilos. This shows growth of 77 percent in value and 186 percent in volume. This significant increase is directly impacting the current commercial offering both at points-of-sale and online throughout the country.

Regarding Argentine clothing exports, an article published by ambitoweb.com indicates that the CIAI mentions “both in value and volume, clothing exports registered their historical lows of the last eight years, reflecting the loss of external competitiveness of the sector”.

Which garments were imported the most?

Between January and May 2025, the coats segment had the largest presence in clothing imports, representing 26 percent of the total dollars and more than 5.7 million kilos. The difference with the entry of these garments in 2024 marked a growth of 60 percent in value and 81 percent in volume.

Second place went to trousers, which occupied 18 percent, both in dollars and kilos, going from 22.9 million dollars and 2.2 million kilos in 2024 to almost 46 million dollars and more than 5.6 million kilos in 2025. “This variation of 100 percent in value and 151 percent in volume placed trousers as a central item in full expansion," explains an article by Infobae.com.

Jumpers had the same economic ranking as trousers, with 18 percent, and surpassed them in kilos: 6.5 million. The year-on-year increase was 111 percent in dollars and 156 percent in volume, making them one of the most demanded items by the local market.

T-shirts were also among the most imported items during these first five months of the year. They accumulated just over nine percent in dollars and ranked fourth in the quantity imported, with more than 4.7 million kilos. Growth compared to the previous year showed an increase of 88 percent in dollars and an even more marked increase in quantity: 237 percent. This phenomenon transformed the t-shirt into a product of constant replenishment for retail, says the article from the aforementioned media outlet.

Below is a comparative table, published by Infobae.com, with the top twenty categories of imported garments, with information provided by the CIAI:

Chinese fast fashion

Clothing purchases through international platforms have grown exponentially in Argentina in the last year thanks to the liberalisation of access to the dollar and the ease of purchasing products abroad.

The brands AliExpress, Shein and Temu are fast fashion giants that have quickly positioned themselves in the global market, especially among young audiences, thanks to their accessible prices and the enormous diversity of products they offer. However, despite their rapid expansion, they have not been exempt from controversy; their environmental practices and working conditions are questioned, and they face multiple accusations of design plagiarism, especially from large international fashion houses.

In response to these problems, some European countries have begun to tighten their regulations. France, for example, has implemented eco-taxes and limitations on advertising and influencers who promote these brands. In addition, it recently imposed a record fine of 40 million euros on Shein after an investigation detected misleading manoeuvres.

As explained by ambitoweb.com: “Between October 2022 and August 2023, the country's Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) meticulously examined the prices of thousands of products offered in the online shop, and inspectors found that the company raised the price of some items before applying supposed discounts, thus generating a false perception of large discounts for buyers”.