Bangladesh will probably remain the top garment sourcing destination for global retailers at least for the next five years. During this period, garment exports will grow 7 to 9 per cent year-on-year while India and Vietnam will be its nearest competitors. Some African countries are also coming up strongly in the global garment business. But China remains the undisputed leader in garment exports, with eight times the dollar volume of exports than the number two Asian apparel sourcing country, Bangladesh. Vietnam and India are tied for the third place.

Though Chinese apparel production has fallen since 2010, the dominance of global apparel sourcing market, the mix change toward Chinese consumers, and the substantial size of its growing middle class will keep China the apparel production powerhouse for the foreseeable future. Many of China’s garment makers are looking to open facilities in Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar as well as in other countries.

As for Africa, many governments in the region are using the textile and apparel industries as tools for industrialisation and economic development. By 2035, the working population in the region is expected to be the same as China’s today. Right now the top 10 garment exporting nations in sub-Saharan Africa have only a 0.55 per cent share of global apparel exports.