Bangladesh’s rising share is less a boom than a reallocation: buyers are diversifying away from China and rewarding suppliers that can deliver volume with fewer trade-policy headaches.
Bangladesh widened its foothold in the American apparel market in 2025, lifting its share to 10.53% from 9.26% a year earlier, according to OTEXA data cited by local press. Shipments to the US reached $8.20bn out of $77.88bn in total US apparel imports.
The shift
The bigger story is who lost. Vietnam became the largest supplier to the US in 2025 with $16.74bn (a 21.50% share), while China fell to second place at $10.64bn (13.66%). The reordering reflects buyer efforts to reduce exposure to China amid tariff and geopolitics-driven uncertainty.
Why it matters
For Bangladesh, a tenth of the US market signals scale—and bargaining power—but it also raises the bar on compliance, speed and product breadth. For American brands, shifting orders reduces concentration risk, yet it does not eliminate volatility: trade policy can still move faster than a seasonal line plan.
What to watch next
Bangladeshi industry leaders expect further growth if US tariffs on competing sources stay elevated; recent US-Bangladesh tariff negotiations suggest trade terms will remain a live variable rather than a settled backdrop.
