World T-shirt exports were up 4.3 per cent in 2017; year-over-year, value of globally exported T-shirts rose 1.2 per cent between 2016-17. Asian countries accounted for the highest dollar worth of exported T-shirts (inclusive of all materials) during 2017 and had a 56.7 per cent share of worldwide exports. Bangladesh was the top supplier of cotton T-shirts in 2017. It had a 18.3 per cent share in the global supply of cotton T-shirts. India’s share was 4.4 per cent.

China was second in followed by Turkey and Germany. India bagged the fifth position. As for exports of T-shirts (cotton as well as synthetic), Bangladesh ranked second, behind China. India stood fifth. Bangladesh is known as a sourcing hub for cotton made T-shirts.

While economically mature markets of the US, Canada, and Western Europe are close to their saturation point in terms of T-shirt consumption, emerging economies, such as China, India, Russia, and Brazil, are far from saturated. They share a few similar characteristics, including a rising population, an improved economic situation, rising disposable incomes, and urbanization. Despite the fact that China remains a key global centre for the production of T-shirts, production is gradually shifting to other countries in Asia.