Bangladesh Tops US Apparel Export Growth in Q1 2025 with 26.6% Surge
Published At: May 10, 2025Bangladesh has emerged as the fastest-growing apparel exporter to the United States in the first quarter of 2025, posting the highest year-on-year growth among key global competitors.
According to data from the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), Bangladesh exported garments worth $2.22 billion to the US during January–March 2025, marking a 26.64% increase over the same period last year.
This strong performance outpaced other major exporters: India posted a 24.04% rise, followed by Pakistan (17.49%), Vietnam (13.96%), and China (4.18%). Overall, US apparel imports totaled $20.05 billion in the period, up 10.95% from the first quarter of 2024.
Bangladesh also recorded a 25.24% rise in shipment volume, reflecting robust demand and expanding production capacity. India led volume growth at 27.17%, while Pakistan (19.94%), Vietnam (9.14%), and China (2.30%) trailed behind.
In terms of unit prices, Vietnam saw the highest increase at 4.42%, followed by China (1.83%) and Bangladesh (1.12%). India and Pakistan, however, experienced price drops of -2.46% and -2.04%, respectively.
Asif Ashraf, managing director of Urmi Group, one of Bangladesh’s top apparel exporters, credited the growth to the country’s increasing focus on value-added products.
“The slight uptick in prices indicates we are exporting more sophisticated garments to the US,” he said, cautioning that future growth could face headwinds from Trump’s recent tariff hikes.
“Bangladesh may continue to benefit from high tariffs on Chinese goods, but if these tariffs erode US consumers’ purchasing power, overall demand—including for Bangladeshi apparel—could be affected,” Ashraf added.
Mohiuddin Rubel, former director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), noted that China’s export growth lagged behind the overall rise in US apparel imports. “This suggests Bangladesh is gaining market share at China’s expense,” he said.
However, Rubel urged caution. “The full impact of the new US trade policies has yet to play out. The tariff landscape under the Trump administration remains uncertain, and it’s too soon to predict how long this momentum will continue,” he added.
Bangladesh Apparel US Export Export 2025 RMG Export data
