Journal
Practical guides for brands producing clothing in Bangladesh: compliance, trade rules, costing and production.
How these guides are written: researched and drafted with AI tools, then checked against the sources listed on each page, which carries its sources and the date they were checked.
Guides by topic.
84 guides in 8 topics. Start with the question you have now; every guide links on to the next step.
Starting a brand and first orders
What a first range costs, how small it can be, and whether to cut and sew or decorate blanks.
How to start a clothing brand with a Bangladesh factory (2026 guide)
Starting a clothing brand in Bangladesh: what a first order costs, the real minimums, how long it takes, what to send a factory, and the mistakes to avoid.
How much does it cost to start a clothing brand? A line-by-line budget
A line-by-line budget for a first clothing collection: samples, production, freight, duty, barcodes and returns, with low, mid and high scenarios.
How to start a streetwear brand: the manufacturing side
The order to do things in for a first streetwear drop: fit, heavyweight fabric, decoration, sizes, minimums and a drop date planned backwards.
Blanks vs cut and sew: which is right for your clothing brand?
A decision table for blanks, print on demand and cut and sew, the break-even formula for switching, and the rules for relabelling blanks.
How to choose a small-run clothing manufacturer
Choosing a maker for small clothing runs: the three kinds of supplier, the questions that expose a false minimum, and what a small run must include.
Minimum order quantity for clothing in Bangladesh, by product
Minimum order quantities for clothing in Bangladesh: why factories set them, minimums by product and route, and how to plan colours and sizes around them.
Private label clothing manufacturing in Bangladesh: what you get, what you own, and what your label must say
Private label clothing in Bangladesh: what it means, what you own, the five steps, label laws by market, costs, and where first orders go wrong.
How to price your clothing line: cost, wholesale and retail
How to price clothing step by step: landed cost, margin vs markup, keystone, VAT-inclusive retail and channel fees, worked through with formulas.
Finding and checking a manufacturer
How to find a factory, how buying houses work, and the checks that separate a real supplier from a risky one.
Which brands make clothes in Bangladesh? Their own lists
Which brands make clothes in Bangladesh, from their own 2025–26 lists: Next, H&M, Lidl, Primark, Tesco, Gap, UNIQLO and more, with factory counts.
How to find a clothing manufacturer in Bangladesh (2026 guide)
How to find a clothing manufacturer in Bangladesh: the public registers (BGMEA, BKMEA, EPB), fairs, verification, the brief to send and terms to agree.
Garments buying house in Bangladesh: what they do and how to choose
What a garments buying house in Bangladesh does, how it is paid, how to check one is real on the BGMEA and BGBA lists, and the ten questions to ask first.
Clothing manufacturing in Bangladesh: the 2026 buyer’s guide
Clothing manufacturing in Bangladesh, one guide: what it makes, how buying works, costs, minimums, duty by market, compliance and timing.
Top 15 clothing manufacturers in Bangladesh (2026)
Fifteen of the largest clothing manufacturers in Bangladesh compared: when founded, where based, what each makes, and how smaller brands work with them.
Garment factories in Bangladesh: how many, where, and what they make
How many export garment factories Bangladesh has, how much they export, where the clusters are, what each region makes, and how green and safe they are.
How to contact a clothing manufacturer (and get a reply)
What a clothing factory reads first, how to structure your first message, ten questions to ask, and what good answers sound like. Plus NDAs and time zones.
12 red flags when choosing a clothing manufacturer
Twelve red flags when choosing a clothing manufacturer, from no named factory to fake certificates and changed bank details, with the check for each.
How to verify a factory certificate in Bangladesh
A 10-minute check for WRAP, BSCI, SMETA, OEKO-TEX and GOTS certificates before you place an order with a Bangladesh garment factory.
Where do Nike, Lululemon and Gymshark make their clothes?
Where Nike, lululemon and Gymshark make clothes, from their own 2025 and 2026 reports and factory lists: country shares, Bangladesh, and lessons.
Was Trump’s viral suit made in Bangladesh? The facts
A Narayanganj factory says it made the Jos. A. Bank suit Trump wore in Nebraska. What is confirmed, what is not, and the US duty such a suit pays.
How to find an overseas clothing manufacturer (2026 guide)
How to find an overseas clothing manufacturer: pick the country with trade data, check licences, audits and certificates, and know the duty in six markets.
BATEXPO 2026 and Dhaka's November garment fairs: a buyer's guide
BATEXPO 2026 runs 18–19 November in Dhaka: dates, venue, programme and registration, the other November fairs, visas, and how to plan factory visits.
Costs, samples and timelines
What makes up a garment price, which production model to buy on, what samples cost and how long an order takes.
Clothing prices in Bangladesh in 2026: what is pushing costs
What is pushing clothing prices in Bangladesh in 2026: wages, power and gas tariffs, the taka, cotton, freight and duty, each dated and sourced.
How much does it cost to manufacture clothing in Bangladesh? Cost by product (2026)
Clothing manufacturing cost in Bangladesh: minimums and price drivers for 14 products, a cost sheet line by line, and duty by market.
FOB, CMT or full package: which production model fits your brand?
The difference between CMT, FOB and full package clothing production in Bangladesh, with the costs and responsibilities of each.
How much do clothing samples cost, and why are they so expensive?
Why one clothing sample can cost as much as dozens of bulk pieces: pattern, hand cutting, set-up, fabric minimums and courier, and six ways to cut rounds.
Proto, fit, size set, PP and TOP samples: what each one is for
The garment sample approval ladder in order: proto, fit, size set, PP and TOP, with the fabric used, what each proves and who signs it off.
How much does a tech pack cost, and do you need one?
What a tech pack costs from a freelancer, studio or sample room, how to check a quote in hours, and when a reference garment is enough.
How to write a tech pack for clothing manufacturing (free template)
What a clothing tech pack must include, section by section, with a free downloadable template you can fill in and send to a manufacturer.
How to create a size chart and grade a clothing range
Base size, points of measure, grade rules and tolerances, with a worked tee grading example and the rules for labelling adult and children’s sizes.
How long does clothing manufacturing take? A realistic timeline
The production stages from brief to delivery, how to plan backwards from a launch date, what delays orders, and sourced sea and air transit times.
Payment terms in garment manufacturing: T/T, LC and deposits explained
How T/T deposits, letters of credit, collections and open account work for clothing orders, the risk each carries, and what to tie each payment to.
Bangladesh garment production calendar: peak season, Eid and holidays
Bangladesh garment factory holidays 2026 date by date, Eid closures of up to 10 days, and expected 2027 dates: Eid around 9 to 11 March and 16 to 18 May.
Fabrics and construction
Fabric weights, knits, fibres and the faults to test for before a fabric goes into bulk.
Fabric and GSM guide for knitwear: jersey, piqué, fleece and what to specify
What GSM means, which weight suits t-shirts, polos and hoodies, combed vs open-end yarn, jersey vs interlock, the tests to ask for, and how to specify it.
GSM to oz: fabric weight conversion chart for clothing
GSM to oz/yd² with the exact factor (1 oz = 33.906 GSM). A chart from 100 to 600 GSM: 140 GSM is 4.13 oz, 180 GSM 5.31 oz, 200 GSM 5.90 oz.
1x1 vs 2x2 rib: stretch, recovery and where to use each
1x1 rib is finer and flatter, for t-shirt necks; 2x2 is bolder and thicker, for sweatshirt cuffs and hems. Stretch, recovery and why necks go loose.
Interlock vs single jersey: which knit for your garment?
Interlock vs single jersey: why jersey curls and interlock doesn’t, weight, handle, print surface, why interlock costs more, and which garment suits each.
Combed, carded or ring-spun cotton: what the labels mean
Combed, carded, ring-spun, compact and open-end cotton explained: fibre length, handle, pilling, strength, and which claims a test report can prove.
French terry vs fleece: weights, feel and which to choose
French terry vs fleece: loop back vs brushed back, typical GSM, warmth and season, shrinkage, pilling and print, and which suits hoodies and joggers.
Sweatpants and joggers manufacturing: fabric, fit and what to specify
How to get sweatpants and joggers made: fleece or French terry, rise and inseam, waistbands, cuffs, pockets, children’s drawcord safety and HS codes.
Modal, lyocell and viscose: the differences for clothing brands
Lyocell is about three times as strong as viscose when wet; modal sits between. A comparison table, shrinkage, and EU and US label names, bamboo included.
Polyester vs nylon for activewear: which fabric to choose
Polyester vs nylon leggings compared: feel, moisture, abrasion, sublimation, recycled options and certificates, with fibre data from 2025.
Fabric shrinkage: causes, tests and acceptable limits
Why cotton knits shrink, how ISO 5077 and AATCC 135 measure it, what limit to agree, and how pattern compensation works, with real test data.
Why t-shirts twist after washing (spirality) and how to prevent it
Why jersey tees twist after washing, how spirality is measured (ISO 16322, AATCC 179), what limit to set, and the yarn and knitting fixes.
Colour fastness testing for clothing: tests, grades and pass levels
ISO 105 washing, rubbing, light and perspiration tests explained, how the 1 to 5 grey scale works, and the OEKO-TEX minimum grades buyers use.
How to source fabric for a clothing line: mills, converters, minimums and approvals
How to source fabric for a clothing line: write the spec, choose a mill, converter or stock fabric, plan dye-lot minimums, then test and approve bulk.
Quality control and inspection
AQL sampling, defect classes, measurement tolerances and what a final inspection should check.
When a clothing order goes wrong: who pays, and what to sign
Late goods, failed inspection, short shipment or transit damage: who usually pays, the claim deadlines, and what your order and LC should say.
AQL chart for garment inspection: 2.5 and 4.0 explained
The AQL 2.5 table for garments, with 1.5 and 4.0, for every lot size at Level II. Example: 3,201 to 10,000 pieces, 200 checked, accept 10, reject at 11.
Garment defects list: critical, major and minor examples
Critical, major and minor garment defects: a 19-row table, fabric to safety, with each defect’s usual class and why, and which are always critical.
Garment inspection checklist: pre-production, inline and final
A garment inspection checklist for each stage: sample and fabric before cutting, inline checks at 20%, final AQL inspection at 80% packed, then loading.
Inline inspection in garment production: checks and a report format
Inline inspection in garment production: roving checks on the sewing line, the during-production inspection (DUPRO) at 20%, and a report format to copy.
Garment measurement tolerances: how much variation is acceptable?
Garment measurement tolerances by point of measure: example figures to agree, a brand’s published limits, and a grade check that stops sizes overlapping.
Clothing care label symbols: what they mean and what the law requires
Care label symbols explained: wash tub, triangle, square, iron and circle, what the dots mean, plus the care labelling law in the US, Australia, UK and EU.
Are clothes made in Bangladesh good quality, and are they ethical?
Yes, if the factory and checks are right: Bangladesh had 6.8% of world clothing exports in 2025. What it makes best, safety since Rana Plaza, child labour.
Compliance, product rules and ethics
Social audits, forced-labour and traceability rules, EU and US product requirements, worker safety and wages.
Where does Bangladesh get its cotton? Imports by country
Bangladesh grows under 2% of its cotton. Imports by year and supplier (Brazil, West Africa, India, Australia, US), yarn and fabric, and proof to ask for.
BSCI, WRAP, SMETA or SA8000: which social audit does your buyer need?
amfori BSCI, WRAP, Sedex SMETA and SA8000 compared: what each audit covers, how long it lasts, which buyers ask for it, and how to verify it.
Forced labour rules and cotton traceability: what US and EU clothing importers must prove
Why clothing sewn in Bangladesh can be held under the UFLPA: the bale-to-garment records CBP asks for, the August 2026 Entity List, the EU ban from 2027.
EU Digital Product Passport for clothing: what brands need to prepare
Not mandatory yet: the EU textile passport act is expected in 2027, then normally 18+ months. What is fixed, the destruction ban, EPR, the data to collect.
CPSIA for children’s clothing: testing, certificates and labels for the US market
CPSIA rules for children’s clothing: what a CPC must contain, eFiling since 8 July 2026, lead limits for trims and prints, flammability and drawstrings.
Rana Plaza: what changed in Bangladesh’s garment factories since 2013
The Rana Plaza collapse of 24 April 2013, the Accord and RSC that followed, what factory safety inspections cover today and how buyers check a factory.
How much do garment workers in Bangladesh earn? (2026)
Tk 12,500 a month (about US$101) at entry grade, Tk 15,035 at the top: the 2023 gazette by grade, per hour, day and year, the 9% increment, the review due.
BGMEA vs BKMEA: Bangladesh’s garment associations explained
BGMEA vs BKMEA: what each association covers, member numbers, what a membership number proves, the UD document and BEPZA zones, and how buyers use them.
EU CSDDD after the 2026 changes: what it means for clothing brands and their Bangladesh suppliers
CSDDD for fashion after the 2026 cuts: over 5,000 staff and €1.5bn turnover, or €1.5bn EU turnover if non-EU, from 26 July 2029, and what suppliers face.
amfori BSCI audit ratings explained: 13 performance areas, A to E, and what each grade means for your order
How an amfori BSCI audit is graded: 81 questions, 13 performance areas, the rules behind A to E, how long each grade lasts and what it means for an order.
What must be on a clothing label by law: US, UK and EU compared (2026)
US labels need fibre, origin, name or RN and care; UK and EU textile law needs only fibre content. A table by market and what the law does not require.
Garment lab testing in Bangladesh: which tests each market needs
Accredited garment testing labs in Bangladesh, the tests adult clothing needs in the EU, UK, US, Canada, Australia and NZ, and what a report must show.
Importing, duty and shipping
Shipping terms, freight, packing, HS codes, proof of origin and what LDC graduation changes for duty.
How to import clothes from Bangladesh: step by step
Import clothes from Bangladesh in 10 steps: importer registration, HS code, duty and origin proof for the US, UK, EU, Canada and Australia, then freight.
FOB vs DDP for clothing imports: which should you choose?
FOB vs DDP for clothing from Bangladesh: who pays and carries risk at each step, a worked landed-cost example, and which suits a first order.
Sea vs air freight for clothing: cost, time and when to use each
Sea vs air freight for clothing from Bangladesh: transit times, FCL vs LCL, the ÷6,000 volumetric weight rule, carbon, and when a split shipment pays.
HS codes for clothing: chapter 61 vs 62 explained
HS codes for clothing: knitted garments go in chapter 61, woven in 62. Codes for t-shirts, hoodies, polos, jeans and shirts, and how fibre changes duty.
Proof of origin for clothing from Bangladesh: REX, certificate of origin and Form A
Which proof of origin each market needs for duty-free clothing from Bangladesh: EU REX statements, UK DCTS declarations, Canada B255, Australia and Japan.
Bangladesh LDC graduation moved to 2029: what changes for apparel buyers
The UN moved Bangladesh's LDC graduation to 24 November 2029. What that means for duty-free garment imports into the EU, UK and other markets.
Europe’s three-year window: how to use Bangladesh’s duty-free years to 2032
The UN moved Bangladesh’s LDC graduation to 2029, so EU duty-free access runs to about 2032. What it means, what is uncertain, and a plan for each year.
Garment packaging requirements: polybags, barcodes, carton marks and Amazon FBA
What to specify so garments leave the factory packed right: polybags, suffocation warnings, GTIN barcodes, carton marks, Amazon FBA and EU packaging law.
US tariffs on clothing from Bangladesh in 2026: what you pay now, how the rate changed, and IEEPA refunds
Clothing from Bangladesh pays its US HTS duty plus 10% under Section 301: rates by product, a worked example, the rate by date since 2025, IEEPA refunds.
Rules of origin for Bangladesh clothing made from imported fabric
Is a shirt sewn in Bangladesh from Chinese fabric Bangladeshi? Origin rules for the US, EU, UK, Canada, Japan and Australia, checked 23 September 2026.
Bangladesh clothing sourcing myths and facts: 24 claims checked against the source
Is clothing from Bangladesh duty-free? 24 claims on US tariffs, de minimis, UK DCTS, EU EBA, Canada, exports and wages, checked against official sources.
Choosing a country
How Bangladesh compares with the other main clothing sourcing countries on cost, duty and product fit.
Bangladesh vs Vietnam vs China vs India for clothing manufacturing
Comparing Bangladesh, Vietnam, China and India for clothing production: export scale, EU duty access in 2026, origin rules, and which products suit each.
Bangladesh vs Pakistan for clothing manufacturing
Bangladesh vs Pakistan: 2025/26 garment and textile export figures, cotton supply, EU, UK and US duty access, and which kind of clothing buyer each suits.
Bangladesh vs Portugal vs Turkey: far sourcing or near sourcing?
Bangladesh vs Portugal vs Turkey for clothing: export scale, wages, EU and UK duty, transit times, and how to split a range between far and near sourcing.
Bangladesh garment exports in 2026: markets, products and world share
Bangladesh garment exports in FY2025-26: US$38.70bn, knit vs woven, EU, US and UK shares, top products and 6.8% of world clothing exports, with sources.
Bangladesh loses No. 2 spot in US apparel imports: 2026 data
China passed Bangladesh as the No. 2 US apparel supplier in January to August 2026, by US$240 million. The OTEXA figures and what buyers should do.
Sourcing clothing from Bangladesh in 2026: the risks, and how buyers manage them
Bangladesh sourcing risks in 2026, dated and sourced: gas and power shortages, Chattogram port, politics and wages, visas, tariffs, and what buyers can do.
UK import duty on clothing by country: Bangladesh, China, India, Vietnam, Pakistan and Turkey compared
UK import duty on clothing by country, from the UK Trade Tariff: 0% from Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Pakistan and Turkey, 12% from China, plus 20% VAT.
Bangladesh garment industry statistics 2026: the verified numbers, with sources
Bangladesh garment industry statistics 2026, each dated and sourced: US$38.70bn exports, 6.76% world share, markets, workers, wages, 291 LEED factories.
What these guides cover
Practical answers to the questions buyers ask before and during a first order in Bangladesh: how to find and check a manufacturer, what a garment price is made of, what minimum order quantities really mean, and which audits and certificates your retailer will ask for.
How we write them
Every guide opens with a short answer, states the date it was checked, and links its sources so you can verify the facts yourself. Trade rules change, so we update the pages and change the date only when the content really changed. For market-specific duty and labelling rules, see the buyer market guides.
Tell us what you want to make.
Send a tech pack, a sketch or a photo of a garment you like. We reply within one working day with questions or a first costing.
- A reply within one working day
- An enquiry, not an order: you are committed to an order only when you sign the written order confirmation
- Certificates and audit reports shared before production
- AQL final inspection report before you approve shipment
- Your patterns and artwork never shown to or reused for other buyers