With 26.64% growth, Bangladesh leads apparel export to US in Jan-Mar

Bangladesh has emerged as the fastest-growing apparel exporter to the United States in the first quarter of 2025, posting the highest year-on-year growth among its global competitors.

According to data from the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), Bangladesh exported garments worth $2.22 billion to the US during January-March 2025, marking a 26.64% increase compared to the same period last year.

This performance placed Bangladesh ahead of other major exporters. India followed with a 24.04% rise, while Pakistan, Vietnam, and China recorded growth of 17.49%, 13.96%, and 4.18% respectively.

Overall, the US imported $20.05 billion in apparel globally during the period, up 10.95% from the first quarter of 2024.

Bangladesh also saw a 25.24% increase in shipment volume, indicating rising demand and production capacity. India led in volume growth with 27.17%, while Pakistan (19.94%), Vietnam (9.14%), and China (2.30%) lagged behind.

In terms of unit prices, Vietnam recorded the highest increase at 4.42%, followed by China (1.83%) and Bangladesh (1.12%). India and Pakistan, however, saw declines of -2.46% and -2.04%, respectively.

Asif Ashraf, managing director of Urmi Group, one of the country's top apparel exporters, attributed the growth to Bangladesh's success in shipping more value-added products. 

"The slight uptick in prices suggests that we are exporting more sophisticated garments to the US," he said, warning that future performance could be impacted by Trump's recent tariff hikes. 

"While Bangladesh might benefit from the sustained high tariffs on Chinese products, if those tariffs begin to erode US consumers' purchasing power, it could hurt overall import demand – including for Bangladeshi goods."

Mohiuddin Rubel, former director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), observed that China's export growth to the US lagged behind the overall increase in US apparel imports. "This suggests that Bangladesh has captured a share of the market China is losing," he said.

Still, he cautioned against overconfidence, noting that the full impact of the new US trade policies is yet to unfold. "The tariff situation under the Trump administration remains fluid. It's too early to predict how long this momentum will last," Rubel added.