According to data from the United States government agency Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), global apparel imports into the US declined by 5.30 percent between 2015 and 2024. However, during the same period, apparel imports from Bangladesh to the US increased by 26.62 percent.
In comparison, Bangladesh’s key competitor China saw its exports fall by 18.36 percent. Meanwhile, exports from Vietnam and India grew by 32.96 percent and 34.13 percent respectively. Indonesia’s exports declined by 19.82 percent, while Cambodia recorded a 10.78 percent increase. Notably, Bangladesh achieved a 26.62 percent rise in its export volume during this time.
In terms of unit value, overall US apparel import prices dropped by 1.71 percent globally. China and India experienced significant decreases in unit prices, falling by 33.80 percent and 4.56 percent respectively. On the other hand, unit values rose for Vietnam by 6.64 percent, Indonesia by 7.38 percent, and Cambodia by a striking 38.31 percent. Bangladesh also recorded an increase of 7.30 percent in unit value.
Industry experts say Bangladesh has now managed to maintain a unit value close to the global average for US apparel imports.
Former director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Mohiuddin Rubel, stated, “When we compare ourselves with our nearest competitors such as Vietnam and India, it becomes clear that Bangladesh has significant potential to further increase its unit value. Such improvement can help raise total export earnings even without expanding export volumes.”
He further noted, “In 2024, the export value of China and Vietnam to the US was nearly the same, yet Vietnam’s export volume was less than half of China’s. This is because Vietnam exports higher-value products.”
Rubel added, “We need to shift our focus from low-priced products to higher-value items in order to strengthen our position in the global market.”
