Bangladesh has outpaced China in apparel export growth to the European Union (EU) in the first nine months of 2025, as demand for competitively priced Bangladeshi garments continues to strengthen in the bloc.

From January to September, Bangladesh's garment exports to the EU rose 13.17 percent year-on-year to €15.26 billion, up from €13.48 billion a year earlier, Eurostat data show.

The country retained its position as the second-largest apparel supplier to the EU after China, which posted a 9.86 percent value growth, reaching €19.77 billion during the period.

However, in terms of volume, China still has the top position. In the first nine months, China posted a 17 percent rise in volume, compared to Bangladesh's 15.55 percent growth.

However, Bangladesh offered a much more competitive unit price than the East Asian superpower. Eurostat data show that China experienced a 6.10 percent decline in unit prices, while Bangladesh posted a 2.06 percent decrease. This indicates that the South Asian country gained EU market share through a combination of competitive pricing and sustained buyer interest.

Among other major suppliers, India exported €3.76 billion worth of apparel to the EU, up 10.62 percent in value and 16.01 percent in volume, while unit prices declined by 4.65 percent. Pakistan's exports rose 13.77 percent to €2.90 billion, driven by a 15.90 percent rise in volume and a 1.83 percent drop in prices.

Cambodia showed particularly strong performance with exports totalling €3.37 billion, a 22.51 percent rise in value and 39.65 percent in volume, while unit prices fell by 12.27 percent as the country shifted more aggressively toward the EU market amid weaker demand in the United States.

Turkey, however, recorded a downturn, with EU imports of Turkish apparel shrinking 9.80 percent to €6.42 billion.

Overall, the EU imported €68.47 billion worth of apparel between January and September, up 7.14 percent year-on-year. The growth was largely driven by a 13.80 percent increase in volume, even as average prices fell by 5.86 percent per kilogramme, indicating stronger demand but heightened price competition.

Inamul Haq Khan, senior vice-president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said the export performance aligns with earlier work orders placed by European buyers ahead of the Christmas season. However, he cautioned that the coming months may not see extraordinary growth.

"The trend of placing work orders for the near future is in a tight position now, although the situation was supposed to improve," he said.

Khan also noted that US President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs have added pressure to the global apparel supply chain.

Bangladesh has maintained its position as the EU's second-largest apparel supplier for several years due to its cost competitiveness. It has already overtaken China in key product categories such as trousers and denim. In terms of volume, Bangladesh has long been the top garment supplier to the European bloc.