Bangladesh's ready-made garment (RMG) exports grew 6% year-on-year in the first quarter of FY2026-27 (July to September 2026), with both knitwear and woven garments posting growth and home textiles also rising, while cotton and cotton products declined, according to provisional data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).

Key Points

  • Bangladesh's garment exports grew 6% year-on-year from July to September 2026, reaching billions of US dollars.
  • Knitwear exports rose 6.8%, while woven garment exports grew 4.1%.
  • Home textile exports increased 10.4%, but cotton and cotton product exports fell 3.1%.

According to provisional data released by Bangladesh's Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), the country's ready-made garment (RMG) exports grew 6% year-on-year in the first quarter of FY2026-27 (July to September), continuing the recovery momentum in the country's apparel exports.

By category, knitwear (HS Chapter 61) outperformed woven garments, growing 6.8% year-on-year to roughly several billion US dollars, from a lower base in the same period last year. Woven garment (HS Chapter 62) exports edged up 4.1%. Together, the two categories account for the overwhelming majority of Bangladesh's exports.

Home textile exports (Chapter 63, excluding certain tariff lines) grew 10.4%. Meanwhile, exports of cotton and cotton products fell 3.1% year-on-year, making it one of the few categories to decline in the quarter.

On a monthly basis, Bangladesh's exports in September alone grew 0.59% year-on-year, but fell 12.92% month-on-month from August, reflecting fluctuations in export momentum within the quarter.

Data shows that woven and knit garments, garment accessories and home textiles together accounted for 84.59% of Bangladesh's total exports in the quarter, which totaled roughly several billion US dollars. The garment industry remains the core pillar of Bangladesh's foreign exchange earnings.

For the used clothing trade, the continued growth of Bangladesh's garment exports means its demand for imported raw materials remains stable, and it is also indirectly linked to global second-hand clothing flows and the structure of raw material procurement.

Source: RMG exports from Bangladesh grow 6% in Q1 2026-27 · Originally published on 2026-10-06