Fabric imports in 2022 saw an increase in South Asian island countries such as Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia compared to the previous year. Indonesia and Thailand experienced the highest growth in fabric imports, with an increase of over 10 per cent. Sri Lanka also saw a slight increase in fabric imports during the same period.

Indonesia's fabric imports rose by 10.34 per cent to $4.769 billion in 2022, compared to $4.322 billion in 2021. The country's fabric imports in the previous years were $3.159 billion in 2020, $4.320 billion in 2019, $4.472 billion in 2018, and $4.085 billion in 2017.

Similarly, Sri Lanka's fabric imports increased slightly from $2.226 billion in 2021 to $2.292 billion in 2022, despite facing economic and political unrest in the first half of the year. The value of fabric imports in Sri Lanka in the preceding years were $1.758 billion in 2020, $2.239 billion in 2019, $2.212 billion in 2018, and $2.136 billion in 2017.

Thailand's fabric imports saw the highest growth rate of 13.37 per cent, reaching $1.390 billion in 2022 compared to $1.226 billion in 2021. The country's fabric imports in the previous years were $1.079 billion in 2020, $1.328 billion in 2019, $1.282 billion in 2018, and $1.146 billion in 2017.

And, Malaysia's fabric imports remained relatively stable in 2022, with imports of $405.565 million in the first eleven months, almost matching the imports of $416.470 million in 2021. The country's fabric imports in the previous years were $454.332 million in 2020, $554.720 million in 2019, $654.137 million in 2018, and $690.330 million in 2017.