Bangladesh has sustained its leadership in export growth in the European Union’s readymade garment market for five consecutive years, outperforming major competitors despite global economic headwinds.
According to data from Eurostat, total EU garment imports increased by 24.56% between 2021 and 2025, rising from €72.25 billion to €90 billion. During the same period, Bangladesh’s RMG exports to the bloc grew by 35.81%, from €14.30 billion to €19.41 billion — a significantly higher growth rate than its key competitors.
China’s exports to the EU rose by 21.48%, from €21.88 billion to €26.58 billion, while India recorded 33.18% growth. In contrast, Turkey’s exports declined by 9.48% over the five-year period.
In the most recent year, EU garment imports expanded by just 2.10% between 2024 and 2025 amid inflation and weak consumer demand. Even in this challenging environment, Bangladesh achieved 5.97% growth, compared to China’s 1.17% rise, while Turkey’s exports fell by 10.73%.
Although export prices faced significant pressure due to retailer-driven cost reductions, Bangladesh managed to increase shipment volumes by leveraging its large-scale production capacity and stable supply chain. This helped the country strengthen its market share despite a slowdown in the broader market.
Industry analysts note that while Bangladesh remains the EU’s second-largest apparel supplier, it effectively leads in sustained growth momentum. However, they caution that long-term leadership will depend on shifting from volume-driven growth to higher value addition, product diversification, sustainable production, and entry into premium segments.
With slower growth and persistent price pressure in recent years, experts say the sector must now focus on qualitative transformation to secure its competitive edge in the evolving European market.
