The United States ($5.8 billion), Germany ($4.5 billion) and the United Kingdom ($3.3 billion) are the three largest importers of Bangladesh’s textile products.Įxports to the U.S. The exports, which include ready-made garments (RMG), cotton and silk fabrics and knitted apparel, are primarily shipped to developed countries. The country is also the second-largest apparel exporter in the world as of 2018. The garment and textile industry accounts for 91 percent of Bangladesh’s total exports, valued at $39.49 billion. And seeking manufacturing opportunities outside this industry will prove difficult. Thus, it comes as no surprise that garment and textile manufacturing make up the largest export industry in Bangladesh by far. The country’s low manufacturing wages make Bangladesh ideal for labor-intensive industries. There are clearly opportunities for labor-intensive industries there, as we’ll explore in greater detail below. And this trend isn’t limited to foreign companies–even Chinese-owned companies are setting up shop in Bangladesh.

Still, these factors have yet to dissuade the growing number of garment manufacturers from shifting their operations to Bangladesh. Lack of social and environmental compliance in factories, social unrest and poorly developed logistics infrastructure are just some of the difficulties to be aware of. However, doing business in Bangladesh certainly comes with its own challenges. In large part due to China’s dramatic increase of wages in recent years, manufacturers were gradually drawn to neighboring countries in Southeast Asia.īut amidst the clamor over Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, have you ignored another good alternative? Depending on your industry, Bangladesh should be included in your shortlist of possible sourcing options ( related : Asia Sourcing Guide: 11 Top Alternatives to China ).īangladesh’s main draw lies in its competitive labor costs, which are some of the lowest in Asia and the world. Check this out and explore greater detail of manufacturing in Bangladesh.Įven before the United States-China trade war kicked off in 2018, many foreign companies manufacturing in China were already searching for sourcing alternatives. There are clearly opportunities for labor-intensive industries there. Bangladesh’s labor costs are some of the lowest in Asia and the world.

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