Bangladesh’s readymade garment (RMG) exports to the European Union (EU) grew by 17.87% in the first half of 2025, earning €10.29 billion, according to Eurostat data.

Exports stood at €8.73 billion in the same period last year. Knitwear led the growth, rising 21.1% to €6.03 billion, while woven garment exports climbed 13.6% to €4.26 billion.

The EU’s overall apparel imports increased by 12.3% year-on-year to €43.39 billion in January–June, with knitwear up 14.7% and woven garments up 10%.

Bangladesh’s competitors also posted strong growth: China’s apparel exports to the EU rose 22.3% to €11.26 billion, Cambodia’s surged 30.4% to €2.07 billion, and India’s increased 15.4% to €2.70 billion. Pakistan and Vietnam registered growth of 16.6% and 17.3% respectively, while Turkey recorded a 7% decline.

Exporters said the surge reflected stronger EU demand but cautioned that competition is intensifying as China and India expand their EU focus following recent US reciprocal tariffs.

“China is desperately enhancing its focus on the EU and will continue to do so, while India will follow suit, creating fierce market competition,” said Fazlul Hoque, former president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA). He added that Bangladesh could have achieved higher growth if not for domestic bottlenecks such as factory closures and banking constraints.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s RMG exports to the US, its largest single market, grew 25.13% to $4.25 billion in the same period, up from $3.39 billion a year earlier, according to US Department of Commerce data.