The COVID-19 situation in the U.S. has somewhat come under control following mass vaccinations. Many restrictions have been relaxed. People have increased shopping too. As a result, export of readymade garments has risen to the U.S. from various countries.

Buyers and brands in the U.S. imported apparel products worth USD 21.26 billion from various countries in the first four months (January-April) of 2020. Imports rose by 8 percent to USD 23.07 billion in same period of 2021.

 

Exports from China and Vietnam have increased during this span of time whereas Bangladesh couldn’t take advantage of the situation. On the contrary, its exports have declined.

 

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) released the latest data. The U.S. import of apparel products dropped by 23.43 percent to USD 64.07 billion in 2020.

 

According to OTEXA, Bangladesh exported apparel products worth about USD 2 billion or Tk 169.82 billion to the U.S. in the first four months of 2021, that is a 3.71 percent fall comparing to the corresponding period of the previous year.

 

Bangladesh is the third largest apparel exporter to the U.S. after China and Vietnam.

 

China’s export to the U.S., however, rose significantly. Its export of readymade garments rose by 19.86 percent year-on-year to USD 4.66 billion in January-April of 2021.

 

On the other hand, Vietnam exported apparel worth about USD 4.55 billion to the U.S. in January-April of 2021, which is 8.91 percent higher than the export earnings of USD 4.18 billion in the corresponding period of the previous year.

 

Vietnam shares 19.65 percent of the U.S. ready-made garment market while Bangladesh shares only 7.82 percent.

 

According to the OTEXA, like Bangladesh, export of ready-made garments by India and Indonesia also declined.

 

India’s export of apparel to the U.S. dropped by 1.10 percent year-on-year to USD 1.34 billion in the first four months of 2021. India is the fourth largest apparel exporter to the U.S.

 

Besides, Indonesia exported apparel worth USD 1.27 billion to the U.S. in January-April of 2021, which is 11.18 percent less comparing to the corresponding period of the previous year.

 

A portion of the work orders started coming to Bangladesh in the aftermath of the US-China trade war in 2019. Bangladesh’s export of apparel to the U.S. reached a seven-year high of USD 5.93 billion that year.

 

Source: fibre2fashion.com