1/6/1999 · There has been a sharp decline in Asian clothing exports to North America (from 27% of the global total in 1984 to 16% in 1996), a drop in Asian apparel exports to Western Europe (down to 11% of global trade), and a striking increase in intra-Asian trade in apparel (from 4.3% in 1980 to 12.3% in 1996).