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US Clothing Sales Stay Strong As Retail Growth Hits 10th Month

• By  Textile Excellence
• August 15, 2026

Clothing and accessories sales in the US continued to grow in July, rising 0.51% from June and 6.55% year over year, as overall retail sales posted their 10th consecutive month of growth, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor.

The latest figures point to a resilient US consumer, with shoppers continuing to spend despite a mixed economic backdrop. Retailers have also been leaning heavily on midsummer discounts and early back-to-school promotions to keep consumers spending while remaining conscious of household budgets.

Overall retail sales, excluding automobile dealers and gasoline stations, increased 0.32% month over month on a seasonally adjusted basis in July and were 5.15% higher than a year earlier. In June, the corresponding increases were 0.33% and 9.41%.

For the clothing and accessories sector, the July performance was particularly notable. Sales increased 6.55% from July 2025, while the 0.51% monthly rise suggests demand remained steady as the US entered the important back-to-school shopping period.

“Retail sales maintained their steady upward momentum in July as consumers kept shopping despite ups and downs in other economic indicators,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. He attributed the resilience partly to low unemployment and steady wage gains, while noting that consumers remained budget conscious.

Across retail, seven of nine categories recorded year-over-year growth in July. Electronics and appliance stores led with a 12.04% increase, while digital products rose 12.02% and health and personal care stores gained 10.07%. General merchandise stores were up 8.3%, while grocery and beverage stores increased 4.52%.

Furniture and home furnishings sales rose 2.71% year over year despite a marginal 0.04% monthly decline.

Not every category shared the momentum. Building and garden supply stores fell 1.2% year over year, while sporting goods, hobby, music and book stores declined 3.01%.

For textile and apparel exporters, the clothing numbers offer an encouraging signal. The continued growth indicates that American consumers are still buying apparel, even as retailers compete aggressively on price and promotions. 

“Retail sales maintained their steady upward momentum in July as consumers kept shopping despite ups and downs in other economic indicators,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. He attributed the resilience partly to low unemployment and steady wage gains, while noting that consumers remained budget conscious.