Bangladesh has strengthened its position in the US apparel market, with import volumes rising by 26.62 percent between 2015 and 2024, according to data from the US Government’s Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA).
This growth comes despite a 5.30 percent overall decline in apparel import volumes to the USA during the same period. In comparison, competitor countries posted mixed performances. China’s apparel export volume to the USA fell by 18.36 percent, while Vietnam and India registered sharp rises of 32.96 percent and 34.13 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, Indonesia saw a decline of 19.82 percent, and Cambodia posted a 10.78 percent increase.
On unit prices, global apparel trade recorded a 1.71 percent decline during 2015–2024. China and India reported drops of 33.80 percent and 4.56 percent, respectively. In contrast, Vietnam and Indonesia posted increases of 6.64 percent and 7.38 percent. Cambodia’s unit price surged 38.31 percent, while Bangladesh’s unit price rose by 7.30 percent, showing resilience in the face of downward global pressure.
Industry insiders suggest Bangladesh is now maintaining a unit price level close to the average paid by US buyers globally. However, when compared with close competitors like Vietnam and India, there remains significant scope for improvement.
“If Bangladesh can further enhance its unit price, the country could substantially increase export value without raising export quantity,” said Mohiuddin Rubel, former Director of BGMEA, Managing Director of Bangladesh Apparel Exchange, and Additional Managing Director of Denim Expert Ltd.
Rubel highlighted that competitors are focusing more on value-added products, which is key to strengthening market position. He pointed to the 2024 performance of China and Vietnam as an example. Despite their export values being nearly equal, Vietnam’s export volume is less than half of China’s—a result of Vietnam’s higher-value product mix.
News Courtesy: Textiletoday