Garment vs. apparel: what’s the difference?
The short answer
Garment typically denotes an individual piece of clothing, while apparel refers to clothing collectively or in a commercial context.
What they have in common
Both garment and apparel refer to items of clothing worn on the body.
Examples
garment
- She ironed each garment before hanging them in the closet.
- The designer unveiled a new garment at the fashion show.
- He purchased a warm garment for the winter season.
apparel
- The store offers a wide range of sports apparel.
- Apparel for the event must adhere to the dress code.
- She works for a company that manufactures children’s apparel.
Which one is more common?

Spotted a mistake in this article? Tell us