The demand for sweaters is rising worldwide because of changes in fashion trends as well. In fact, sweaters have turned into an all-weather fashion item.

In the past, western consumers used to don sweaters only during the winter season but now they wear lightweight sweaters all year round as a fashion item. Besides, the temperature has gone up in many cold countries because of climate change, driving down the demand for thick sweaters and pushing up the consumption of lightweight sweaters. Office goers also use them as casual dresses. For instance, consumers in the European Union and the United States prefer light sweaters to thick sweaters.

Today, Bangladesh is a major supplier of lightweight sweaters and international retailers and brands are coming up with higher orders for the items. Bangladesh’s sweater exports climbed 39 per cent year on year in the last financial year.

The segment's earnings represented 13 per cent of the total garment export value in 2021-2022. Rising temperatures, shifting of orders from China, and changes in fashion have all made Bangladesh a major manufacturer of sweaters in recent years.

What helps is that China is no longer interested in manufacturing sweaters because of the complexities in the production process, higher cost of production, and shortage of skilled workers.