Bangladesh has lost its position as the second-largest supplier of garments to the United States, falling behind China during the first eight months of this year. Vietnam retained the top position, while China moved into second place as Bangladesh’s apparel exports to the US market declined.
The latest figures from the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), under the US Department of Commerce, show that Bangladesh exported garments worth $5.39 billion to the United States between January and August this year. That was 4.43 per cent lower than the $5.64 billion recorded during the same period last year.
China, meanwhile, exported $5.63 billion worth of garments to the US during the first eight months of the year. Although Chinese exports were also sharply lower than a year earlier, falling by 39.39 per cent, the country still moved ahead of Bangladesh in total export value.
The shift marks a change from the position seen after the first seven months of the year. During January-July, Bangladesh had exported garments worth $4.66 billion to the US, down 6.50 per cent from the corresponding period of 2025. China exported $4.55 billion during the same period, a decline of 34.21 per cent year on year.
With the addition of August shipments, however, China overtook Bangladesh. The difference between the two countries stood at roughly $237 million for the January-August period.
US remains Bangladesh’s largest garment market
The United States is the single largest destination for Bangladesh’s garment exports, accounting for around one-fifth of the country’s total export earnings from apparel. Any sustained decline in shipments to the US therefore has wider implications for Bangladesh’s garment industry and its export performance.
Bangladesh has experienced considerable fluctuations in the US market in recent years. In 2022, garment exports to the United States rose by around 36 per cent to $9.73 billion. The strong growth was not sustained, however. Exports fell by about 25 per cent in 2023, reaching $7.29 billion.
A modest recovery followed in 2024, when exports increased by 0.75 per cent to $7.34 billion. The pace of growth improved in 2025, with exports rising by around 12 per cent to $8.20 billion.
The latest eight-month figures suggest that maintaining that momentum has become more difficult this year.
Overall US garment imports also decline
The decline is not limited to Bangladesh. US apparel imports from global suppliers also fell during the first eight months of the year.
According to OTEXA data, US businesses imported garments worth $49.07 billion between January and August, down 7.42 per cent from $53.01 billion during the same period of the previous year.
Vietnam remained the largest garment supplier to the US market during the period. Its exports, however, also declined slightly. US imports from Vietnam fell by 0.76 per cent, from $11.06 billion in the first eight months of last year to $10.98 billion this year.
Despite the broader contraction in US apparel imports, competition among major suppliers remains intense. Vietnam continues to lead the market, while China has regained second place and Bangladesh has moved down to third.
For Bangladesh, the latest figures underline the challenge of retaining its position in one of the country’s most important export destinations. The US market has historically been a major source of demand for Bangladeshi ready-made garments, making changes in its import patterns particularly significant for the country’s export-oriented apparel sector.
