The share of Bangladeshi apparel exports globally increased to 5.9 per cent last year from 5.1 per cent in 2014. Bangladesh is the second largest exporter after China, which grabbed a 39.3 per cent of the global market. Competitors Vietnam, India and Cambodia are making faster strides than Bangladesh. Infrastructure is still a major barrier in Bangladesh.

India registered a two per cent growth in readymade garment exports last year and moderately increased its global market share to 4.10 per cent from 3.70 per cent in 2014. The country emerged the fifth largest exporter of clothing followed by Turkey. Turkey faced a negative 8 per cent growth in readymade garment export last year and its share slipped to 3.4 per cent from 3.5 per cent in 2014. Indonesia, Cambodia and the United States are the next three countries in the ranking.

Vietnam’s clothing exports registered a 10 per cent growth last year while Bangladesh registered a moderate six per cent growth. Vietnam is the only country among the top ten global exporters of clothing that registered double digit growth last year. Its share in the global clothing market stood at 4.9 per cent in 2015 from four per cent in 2014.