Bangladesh remains the UK’s biggest garment supplier by volume, sending 178 million kg in 2022 compared to China’s 159 million kg.
Both saw export declines, reflecting slowing UK demand due to inflation and the war in Ukraine.
Despite this dominance, Bangladeshi exporters continue to fetch the lowest prices, earning 21% less than China and 26% less than India. This is because they focus on low-cost basics, while competitors like China and Turkey move toward high-value items with complex processing or added functionality.
However, Bangladesh doesn’t lack opportunities. While China leads in value, with $3.18 billion exported in 2022 compared to Bangladesh’s $3.01 billion, the gap is narrowing. Faruque Hassan, President of the BGMEA, believes Bangladesh can soon overtake China in value, emphasizing the need to venture into the mid-higher priced segment.
Pre-pandemic UK clothing imports peaked at $16.83 billion in 2018 but fell to $12.09 billion in 2023 due to economic pressures. As demand recovers, Bangladesh has a crucial opportunity to shift its strategy and claim a larger share of the UK’s valuable mid-tier market.
