Although Bangladesh’s ready-made garment exports to the United States—its single largest market—dipped slightly during the first eight months (January–August) of 2026, the rate of decline was significantly lower compared to its main competitors. According to data from the US Department of Commerce’s Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), overall US apparel imports fell by 7.42 percent during this period.

Apparel imports from Bangladesh dropped by 4.43 percent to $5.39 billion. In contrast, garment exports from China and India plummeted by 29.39 percent and 26.44 percent, respectively—declines far steeper than that of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh also holds a relatively stronger position in terms of volume and price. During the period under review, the volume of garment imports from Bangladesh fell by 2.75 percent, and the average unit price dropped by 1.73 percent. Meanwhile, import volumes from China fell by 21.61 percent, with prices dropping by 9.93 percent. Business leaders view Bangladesh’s comparatively smaller decline amidst this overall market downturn as a positive sign.

Mohiuddin Rubel, a former director of the BGMEA, noted that Bangladesh is gaining preference among US buyers for sourcing due to significant tariff advantages over competitors like China. He suggested increasing the production of high-value and man-made fiber garments to further strengthen the country’s position in the US market.

Despite the overall decline observed over the eight-month period, there was a promising surge in Bangladesh’s ready-made garment exports to the US in August alone. According to data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), exports in August rose by 25.65 percent year-on-year, exceeding $817 million. Furthermore, total garment exports to the US for the July–August period reached $1.61 billion, marking an 11.42 percent increase compared to the same period last year.