Bangladesh Surges Ahead in EU Clothing Imports

19 December 2023, Mumbai

Knitwear Domination: Bangladesh Claims Top Spot in EU Market

• Bangladesh surpasses China in EU clothing imports (by volume) for the first time in 2022.
• EU imported 1.33 billion KG from Bangladesh vs. 1.31 billion KG from China.
• In value terms, China still leads with US$ 7.3 billion more than Bangladesh.

Knitwear Triumph: Bangladesh Takes No. 1 in Both Value and Weight (Jan-Sept 2023)

• EU imported US$ 9 billion worth of knitwear from Bangladesh vs. US$ 8.96 billion from China.
• By weight, Bangladesh exported 571 million KG vs. 442 million KG from China.
• This marks a significant milestone for Bangladesh's knitwear in the EU.                               Key Success Factors:
  • EU's EBA scheme boosts growth and investment
  • Bangladesh leads in other categories:
    • EU Denim: #1 since 2014 (ahead of Turkey and Pakistan)
    • US Denim: #1 since 2020 (ahead of Mexico and Pakistan)
    • US Cotton Apparel: #1 till June 2023, closely behind Vietnam now (14.55% share in 2022)                                            Future Ambitions:
    • Reclaim top spot in US cotton apparel by 2024
    • Shift towards higher-value, non-cotton athleisure in EU

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