BGMEA: Bangladesh needs a rapid shift towards non-cotton products.
By yash chouhan 2025-12-17 10:58:14
Bangladesh must accelerate shift to non-cotton products: BGMEA
Bangladesh’s garment sector must urgently accelerate product and market diversification to ensure long-term sustainability and maintain its global competitiveness, according to senior industry leaders.
Speaking at a conference hosted by Hyosung at the BGMEA Complex in Dhaka, Inamul Khan-Bablu, Senior Vice President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said the industry needed to place far greater emphasis on diversified apparel production using synthetic fibres and other non-cotton materials.
He pointed out that while nearly 75% of global textile and apparel products are made from non-cotton materials, Bangladesh’s export basket remains heavily skewed towards cotton-based garments, with only 27% comprising non-cotton products. He said this disparity underscored a significant and largely untapped opportunity for the country’s apparel industry.
Khan-Bablu noted that global fashion and textile markets are increasingly shifting towards synthetic, blended and functional fabrics, driven by changing consumer preferences and performance requirements. However, Bangladesh continues to depend predominantly on cotton-based manufacturing, creating what he described as a structural imbalance that must be addressed to protect and expand the country’s share in global markets.
Despite the challenges, he said there were encouraging signs of progress. The share of non-cotton products in Bangladesh’s apparel exports is gradually increasing, reflecting positive momentum within the industry and signalling stronger prospects for future growth.
The session was also attended by BGMEA Director Joarder Mohammad Hosne Komor Alam, alongside industry stakeholders and representatives from the textile and apparel sector.
