Fabric scraps can earn Bangladesh a huge income every year. The total volume of leftovers discarded by the apparel industry is about 4,00,000 tons each year. In many areas dense with garment factories, discarded fabrics are collected by local miscreants and exported in bulk to counties like India and China. The buyers then recycle the materials to make yarn, particularly for denim products.

Polyester Staple Fiber (PSF), made from recycled plastics, is rapidly becoming the world's first choice in manufactured fibers. PSF is a synthetic fiber comprising solely polyester and can be made from both virgin and recycled polyethylene terephthalate chips. PSF is widely used in the textile, automation and furniture industries for products such as rugs, fibrefill, and non-woven fabrics.

Bangladesh PSF imports increased 13 per cent from 2014 to 2018. The country’s textile chemical market is growing eight per cent a year. Bangladesh’s apparel sector is being hit by Coronavirus (COVID-19) related supply chain disorders, with prices for raw materials soaring. Bangladesh’s apparel sector is the country’s top foreign currency earner. Production in many factories is being hampered by the lack of raw materials. Due to the short supply, prices of different raw materials have increased by between 30 and 40 per cent.