Bangladesh has emerged as a major manufacturing hub for winter jackets, as production orders shift away from China due to higher costs and a shortage of skilled workers.

International brands and retailers are taking notice of Bangladesh's competitive prices, improved production capacity, and ability to supply high-end value-added garments. This trend has been driven by local apparel makers diversifying their product offerings in recent years. Although winter jackets were a relatively new export sector in the country, nearly 50 local apparel exporters are currently producing jackets priced between $30 and $50, a segment that did not exist five years ago.

Leading jacket exporters like Snowtex and TEAM Group are receiving a lot of work orders from international retailers and brands. Snowtex currently has the capacity to export between $25 million and $30 million worth of jackets each month, while TEAM Group ships winter jackets worth $10 million every month. Another major apparel manufacturer, Fakir Apparels Limited, has set up a new jacket manufacturing unit in Narayanganj to meet the rising demand. With this added capacity, the company can ship 150,000 jackets abroad each month.

In addition to traditional export destinations like the US and Europe, Bangladesh's winter jackets are also being sent to some Scandinavian countries and Russia. The country's garment makers aim to earn better prices by supplying value-added items, according to the president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).