Bangladesh's apparel exports to US soar by 21.6% in Jan-May 2025

Bangladesh's apparel exports to the United States posted a remarkable 21.6% growth during the January-May 2025 period.

According to the latest data, US imports of Bangladeshi apparel totalled $3.53 billion, marking a robust increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Overall, US apparel imports recorded a modest rise during January-May 2025, amounting to $31.70 billion, up 7.06% year-on-year.

These figures were released by the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), which is responsible for industry analysis, trade promotion, and addressing trade barriers. OTEXA also works in coordination with other units of the US Department of Commerce and various federal agencies to enhance US competitiveness both at home and abroad.

Key Insights on Apparel Imports (January–May 2025)

Here's how other major apparel-exporting countries performed in the US market during this five-month period:

·         China: Experienced a negative growth of -10.02%.

·         India: Registered a significant increase of 16.96%.

·         Pakistan: Exports rose by 21.58%.

·         Indonesia: Recorded a 13.55% rise in exports.

·         Cambodia: Saw exports increase by 17.65%.

·         Vietnam: Achieved a growth of 16.33%.

Volume of Pieces Imported

In terms of quantity, the import trends were as follows:

·         Bangladesh: Witnessed a 21.03% surge.

·         Vietnam: Recorded a 12.43% increase.

·         China: Saw a significant decline of -9.18%.

·         India: Achieved a notable 16.83% rise.

·         Cambodia: Posted a 22.80% increase.

·         Pakistan: Registered the highest growth at 25.65%.

Unit Price Per Piece Variations

The changes in average unit price per piece from various countries were:

·         Bangladesh: Saw a 0.47% increase.

·         Vietnam: Registered a 3.47% increase.

·         China: Declined by -0.93%.

·         India: Noted a marginal increase of 0.11%.

·         Cambodia: Decreased by -4.19%.

·         Pakistan: Fell by -3.24%.

These insights reflect the evolving dynamics of global apparel trade. While Bangladesh, India, Cambodia, Vietnam and Pakistan continue to expand their presence in the US market in terms of both value and volume, most of these countries — except Vietnam — are grappling with pricing pressures on a per-unit basis.

Commenting on the development, Mohiuddin Rubel, managing director of Bangladesh Apparel Exchange and former director of BGMEA, told UNB that Bangladesh's exports are continuing to grow in the US market despite ongoing challenges.