Bangladesh is sourcing man-made fiber imports from India instead of China as the prices offered by Indian producers are cheaper and the lead time is shortly after the opening of two new land ports at the Bangladesh-India border.
The anti-China stance of the United States might also have influenced this shift as it is an important market for Bangladeshi apparel.
The industry expects to double the import of man-made fiber from India in the next five years.
In this regard, the Bangladeshi government in December allowed the import of man-made yarn and fabric from land ports of Benapole, Bhomra in Satkhira, and Sonamasjid in Chapainawabganj. Taking advantage of this new opportunity 60 firms from Gujarat mostly involved in the man-made fibre trade, participated in an expo in Dhaka last month to showcase their products.
A delegation of garment manufacturers from Bangladesh is currently visiting India to explore the prospects of sourcing man-made yarn from the neighboring country.
Bangladesh has just started its shift towards products made manmade.
Currently, 72 percent of its apparel is made from cotton. Globally more than 60 percent of textiles are produced from man-made fibers. Moreover, value addition is also higher in synthetic fibers.
