Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) exports expanded 6.10 per cent Y-o-Y to $10.58 billion in Q1, FY27. Official data from the Export Promotion Bureau reveals, demand across North America and Europe provided robust momentum despite global trade headwinds. Shipments to the United States, the single largest market for domestic apparel, grew by 10.40 per cent to $2.22 billion. Meanwhile, exports to the European Union totaled $4.9 billion, maintaining a dominant 46.36 per cent share of total apparel revenues as global buyers finalized holiday season procurement schedules.
Knitwear outpaces traditional woven segments
Product-level demand indicates a clear consumer preference toward comfortable casualwear and functional clothing line items. Knitwear exports expanded by 6.88 per cent to $5.96 billion during Q1, FY27, while woven garment shipments rose by 5.11 per cent to $4.61 billion. Additionally, shipments to non-traditional export destinations increased by 9.4 per cent to $1.81 billion. Expanding our footprint across emerging Asian and Latin American markets ensures operational stability during supply chain disruptions, states Mahmud Hasan Rubel, Director, BGMEA.
Navigating input overhead and policy compliance
Despite steady order inflows, garment exporters face rising energy costs, domestic wage revisions, and strict European sustainability compliance norms. Domestic apparel manufacturers are actively investing in energy-efficient machinery and waterless dyeing technology to satisfy global sustainability benchmarks. Continued investment in modern manufacturing infrastructure remains essential to retain cost competitiveness against regional manufacturing competitors in Vietnam, Cambodia, and India.
Eyeing $100 billion in annual exports by 2030
The ready-made garment industry is Bangladesh's primary export sector, generating over 80 per cent of total national export earnings. Operating primarily across knitwear and woven apparel categories, the industry plans to achieve $100 billion in annual exports by 2030 through sustainable technology adoption. Established in the late 1970s, it delivers record multi-billion-dollar annual revenues.
