Bangladesh is increasingly attracting orders for higher-value garments from international brands, with local manufacturers expanding beyond basic clothing into specialised jackets, suits, blazers, bridal wear, and technical apparel.
German brand HAKRO, known for higher-priced garments, has been sourcing garments from a factory owned by Team Group in Bangladesh for the past six months, according to industry sources.
Balmohk, a Spain-based fashion brand owned by Denmark's Bestseller group, placed orders for higher-priced products, including trousers, with a leading Bangladeshi garment manufacturer about six months ago.
These are among a growing number of examples of higher-end brands from Europe, the United States, Japan and other major markets turning to Bangladesh over the past four to five years.
Speaking to TBS, exporters say both new buyers and existing customers are expanding their business with local manufacturers, although many keep their client lists confidential because of competition.
Some specialised blazers and wedding dresses made in Bangladesh command retail prices of more than $1,000, according to exporters.
Over the past four years, brands including Engelbert Strauss, Schöffel, Scott, Carhartt, Montbell, Victoria's Secret, and 5.11 Tactical have placed orders for higher-value garments with Bangladeshi manufacturers, either directly or through third parties, exporters said.
However, most brands' details remain undisclosed because brands and exporters consider them business secrets.
Sheikh Mustafiz, a director of the BGMEA who also exports higher-value garments, said, "At least 20 new brands known for selling higher-value garments have started doing business with Bangladesh over the past five years."
The growing capabilities of local factories have drawn fresh attention following claims that a suit worn by US President Donald Trump at a political rally was made by a factory under Ananta Group.
Separately, a Bangladeshi factory owner said a facility in Ashulia had produced clothing worn by US astronauts who flew around the Moon in April.
The developments have highlighted Bangladesh's progress in producing garments beyond the basic, lower-priced items with which the country has traditionally been associated.
Estimates of high-value exports vary
Bangladesh's garment industry, which began developing in the 1980s, largely focused on basic, lower-priced products until around 2000, industry entrepreneurs said. A small number of factories subsequently began receiving limited orders for higher-value items, with the range expanding after 2010.
Exporters estimate that higher-value products now account for around 10% to 15% of Bangladesh's garment exports; some have even put the share at as high as 20%. There is no widely accepted official or private-sector dataset establishing the proportion, they said.
Despite differences over the precise share, industry representatives agree that higher-value garments have gained ground over the past decade, with some estimating that their share has doubled or increased by even more.
Mijanur Rahman, vice-president of the BGMEA, said premium products may have accounted for around 3% of the country's garment exports a decade ago, compared with an estimated 10% now.
Sheikh Mustafiz echoed the view, saying Bangladesh exported around $2 billion worth of higher-value garments a decade ago, compared with more than $5 billion now.
A September 2026 analysis by the Bangladesh Apparel Voice, a non-government organisation, estimated that advanced apparel categories, including outerwear, dresses, sportswear, technical wear, and suits, accounted for 9.35% of Bangladesh's garment exports in 2025. The corresponding global share was 30.46%, according to the analysis, which drew on data from the Export Promotion Bureau and the International Trade Centre.
Mahedi Hasan Asif, senior general manager for marketing, merchandising, and business operations at 4A Yarn Dyeing, a garment factory under Team Group, estimated that higher-value products now account for around 20% of Bangladesh's garment exports.
Bangladesh earned about $38.70 billion from garment exports in the fiscal 2025-26. If higher-value products accounted for 10% to 15% of the total, their export value would have been approximately $3.87 billion to $5.81 billion.
Manufacturers expand higher-value production
Team Group exports around $120 million worth of jackets and other outerwear annually, of which about 60% is higher-value merchandise, Asif said. Outerwear accounts for around 40% of the group's total exports, which exceed $300 million a year, he added.
The group supplies garments to brands including Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Engelbert Strauss, Schöffel, Scott, Carhartt and Montbell, according to Asif.
UBF Bridal Limited, based in the Adamjee Export Processing Zone, specialises in bridal dresses that retail for between $400 and $1,000 apiece. The company exported more than $5 million worth of garments in 2025-26, almost all of which were higher-value products, according to information provided by the company.
Energypac Fashions Limited exports garments worth around $100 million annually, with suits and blazers accounting for nearly 90% of its shipments, said Humayun Rashid, the company's chairman.
Some of the blazers exported by the company retail for as much as €900, he said.
Rashid said an Italian buyer named Antonio has the company make blazers for his own boutique in Italy, using Italian fabrics and designs supplied by the buyer.
Bangladesh has around 3,000 export-oriented garment factories, but there are no precise statistics on how many produce higher-value clothing. Except for a handful of companies, few manufacturers produce exclusively higher-value garments, according to leaders of the BGMEA and the BKMEA, who estimate that the number could exceed 100.
Major manufacturers in this segment include Youngone Corporation, DBL Group, Team Group, Snowtex, Epyllion, SQ Group, Square, Urmi, Universal, Fakir Group and Ananta Group.
Price alone does not define a high-value garment
A garment with a retail price above $50 is often considered higher-value, but brands do not apply a uniform definition, industry representatives said. Some buyers also use standard minute value (SMV), which measures the time required for a trained operator to complete a garment or a specific operation under defined working conditions.
Under one industry benchmark cited by manufacturers, woven garments with an SMV of 50 minutes or more and knitwear with an SMV above 12 minutes may be classified as higher-value products. However, the thresholds are not universal.
Asif said price and SMV were not the only factors determining whether a garment qualified as higher-value. Brand value and market acceptance also mattered.
Team Group produces a product it calls a real-down jacket, using duck down, natural fibres and higher-priced accessories, he said.
"While ordinary fibre costs $2.50 per kilogram, the fibres we use can cost as much as $120 per kilogram in some cases," Asif said, adding that specialised finishing and tailoring also contributed to the product's value.
Why exporters shifting to higher-value garments
"Making a profit from basic garments is difficult. Margins of 2% to 3% are hard to achieve, while higher-end garments should deliver margins of 10% or more. There is no alternative if businesses are to remain viable," said Ridwan Zahir Khan, director of Ananta Garments Limited.
Sheikh Mustafiz echoed the view, saying exporters have little choice but to move into higher-value products as production costs continue to rise.
"With workers' wages, raw material prices and other costs increasing, businesses will not be able to survive by producing basic products alone," he said.
Mehadi Hasan Asif said higher-value orders offer better payment terms and relatively fewer complications. Working with well-known brands also helps manufacturers build relationships with other leading international brands, opening up further business opportunities in global markets, he added.
Further growth expected
Exporters say the country has growing opportunities to expand its higher-value garment exports as production costs rise in competing countries and global brands seek to reduce their dependence on China.
China, Vietnam, Turkey, Italy and several other European countries, along with Indonesia, are among the established suppliers of higher-value apparel, exporters said. However, rising costs in many of these markets and efforts to diversify sourcing away from China could create further opportunities for Bangladesh.
Sheikh Mustafiz, who is also managing director of Cute Dresses Limited, said, "Brands that came to Bangladesh on a test basis have given positive feedback and are satisfied. This creates significant potential for Bangladesh to expand its higher-value garment exports in the future."
Low-cost image remains key challenge
Exporters say Bangladesh is still widely known globally for producing cheap or basic garments, and this perception remains a major obstacle to attracting big-name international brands.
Sheikh Mustafiz said other challenges include dependence on imported high-value raw materials, as well as gaps in skills and technology.
However, exporters say Bangladesh is gradually overcoming these challenges. Those who have come to the country and done business have changed their perceptions, they said, adding that this has encouraged new buyers to enter the market, while many others are making enquiries.