According to the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) data, Bangladesh’s apparel export achieved a growth rate of 27% in the first 10 months of 2021. Outshining its competitors China and Vietnam. Bangladesh also remained in the third top readymade garment (RMG) exporting to the US by fetching $5.7 billion from January to October period of 2021.
While China’s exported $16 billion with a 25% growth, followed by Vietnam 14% and Indonesia 10%.
Other top-six garment exporters to the USA market are India, Mexico, Honduras, Cambodia, Pakistan and Korea.
Apparel experts say highlighted that local RMG makers have been receiving a surplus flow of work orders due to a radical fall in China’s factory productions driven by an energy crisis, and supply chain disruptions in Vietnam and Indonesia due to the pandemic.
Bangladesh, which now ranks third in RMG exports to the US, fetched $5.7 billion from the destination in the first 10 months, up by around 27% from the receipts over the same period in 2020, according to the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA).
Industry insiders say Bangladesh apparel makers have been receiving an additional flow of work orders because of a drastic fall in China’s factory outputs fueled by energy shortages, and pandemic-led supply chain disruptions in Vietnam and Indonesia.
With the resurgence of commercial happenings in the US, consumers have increased spending on apparel.
“Our apparel exports to the US market have kept growing with many US buyers now shifting to us,” Mohammad Hatem, executive president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) told media.
Buyers’ sourcing inquiry from the western country has further paced up. So, exports will go up all the more in the coming months, he said.
According to the OTEXA data, in the January to October period of 2021 period, the USA imported 24.45 billion square meters equivalent apparel. Which is worth nearly $67 billion of clothing items, increasing by 24% compared to the previous year.
Mohammad Hatem further said to the media that Bangladesh’s export growth in the US market is very good even after paying 16% duty.
At least if the country’s cotton-made garments can be exported to that US market duty-free, Bangladesh will see its exports increase significantly.
