Bangladesh Apparel Exports Cross US$4 Billion in July as Global Buyers Keep Shifting Away from China
Bangladesh’s apparel exports reached US$4.0 billion in July 2026, up 25% year-on-year, against a June 2026 base of US$3.4 billion. Cumulative exports for January–July 2026 stood at US$23.3 billion, up 3% over the same period in 2025. That growth is unfolding as China’s share of US apparel imports continues to erode, redirecting order flow toward Bangladesh and other Asian suppliers.
Bangladesh’s Export Performance
Knitwear accounted for US$2.2 billion of July’s total, up 26% year-on-year and a 55% share of exports, while wovenwear contributed US$1.8 billion, up 23% and a 45% share. By market, exports to the EU27 rose 24% year-on-year to US$2.0 billion, led by the Netherlands, up 44% to US$0.23 billion, and Spain, up 27% to US$0.39 billion. The US market grew faster still, up 29% to US$0.8 billion. Over a five-year span, Bangladesh’s monthly exports have averaged US$3.3 billion, with a peak of US$6.8 billion in August 2022 and a trough of US$2.4 billion in April 2024. The annual total has held in a US$35.9-45.8 billion band since 2021, against a five-year average of US$39.5 billion.
Bangladesh’s Position Among Global Suppliers
Bangladesh ranked second among key apparel exporters in June 2026, shipping US$3.4 billion, up 22% year-on-year, behind China’s US$15.0 billion (up 2%) and ahead of Vietnam’s US$3.2 billion (down 3%), Italy’s US$2.4 billion (up 12%), and India’s US$1.2 billion (down 11%). Supplier-share data through 2025 shows Bangladesh gaining ground in three of four key import markets: its share of EU apparel imports rose to 22%, up 1 percentage point; UK share climbed to 17%, up 3 points; and US share advanced to 10%, up 1 point, as China’s US share fell 8 points to 14%.
The Global Import and Retail Picture
Apparel imports across key markets moved unevenly through May 2026. US imports rose 3% year-on-year to US$5.7 billion despite a 9% YTD decline, while EU imports slipped 2% to US$7.1 billion and the UK fell 8% to US$1.8 billion. On the consumption side, US apparel store sales reached an estimated US$18.9 billion in June 2026, up 3% year-on-year and 5% YTD, while UK apparel store sales grew 7% to £4.9 billion. Online clothing sales told a more mixed story: US e-commerce clothing sales rose 2% in Q1 2026 to US$14.5 billion, while UK online clothing sales jumped 13% to £4.9 billion over the same quarter.
Download the Report by filling out the adjacent form.
The full report tracks monthly apparel trade, sourcing, and retail data across the US, EU, UK, and Japan, alongside Bangladesh’s export performance by category and market, and comparative positioning against China, Vietnam, India, Italy, Turkey, and Sri Lanka.
