There is no single price list for clothing made in Bangladesh, because the price of a garment is built up from its fabric, construction, decoration, testing and shipping terms. This guide shows how that price is built, which choices move it most, and how to get a quote you can compare.
What a garment price is made of
A factory or buying house costs each style line by line. A 2023 study of cost sheets from four Bangladeshi garment factories, published in the Journal of Textile Science and Technology, lists the main components:
- Fabric: the amount of fabric per garment, including cutting waste, multiplied by the fabric price.
- Trims and accessories: thread, labels, buttons, zips, tags, polybags and cartons.
- Cost of making (CM): cutting, sewing, finishing and packing labour and overheads.
- Washing, print and embroidery, where the design needs them.
- Testing: laboratory tests your market or retailer requires.
- Commercial, transport and other costs: banking, documents and inland transport, plus any agent commission and the factory’s margin.
How the cost splits by product
The same study broke down four basic FOB orders:
| Product | Fabric | Trims | Accessories | Cost of making | Other costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woven shirt | 49.1% | 3.4% | 4.1% | 23.5% | 19.8% |
| Woven trousers | 38.0% | 4.7% | 4.2% | 22.4% | 30.7% |
| T-shirt | 42.6% | 3.8% | 8.5% | 15.2% | 30.0% |
| Polo shirt | 52.3% | 3.2% | 2.9% | 17.0% | 24.7% |
Two patterns matter for your costing. Fabric is the largest single cost for every product, close to half of the price. And construction drives labour: the study notes a t-shirt needs about 12 sewing operations and a polo about 16, while a shirt has more than 40, which is why its cost of making is the highest.
What moves the price most
- Fabric choice. Composition, weight (GSM or ounces), custom colours and certified fibres such as organic or recycled cotton all change the largest line in the costing.
- Construction. Every extra panel, pocket, placket or topstitch adds sewing operations and time.
- Washes and decoration. Garment dyeing, enzyme or stone washes, prints and embroidery are costed separately.
- Quantity per style and colour. Set-up, sampling and fabric minimums are spread over fewer pieces on small orders.
- Testing and compliance. Children’s products and some retailers need specific laboratory tests.
- Shipping terms. An FOB price stops at the port in Bangladesh. CIF adds sea freight and insurance, and DDP adds import duty, clearance and delivery to your door.
Labour costs in context
The minimum monthly wage for Bangladesh’s garment workers was set at Tk 12,500 in late 2023. In December 2024, workers, owners and the government agreed a 9% annual increment. Labour is only one part of the cost of making, which the study above puts at 15–24% of the price of basic garments.
From FOB price to landed cost
To compare Bangladesh with other countries, compare landed cost, not FOB price. Add freight, insurance, import duty and clearance for your market. Duty differs sharply: clothing from Bangladesh currently enters the UK and EU duty-free if origin rules are met, while US imports pay normal duties plus an additional tariff. See our guides for UK, US and EU brands.
How to get an accurate quote
Quotes are only comparable when every supplier prices the same specification. Send a tech pack or reference garment, the fabric composition and weight, your quantity per style and colour, decoration details, your market and your preferred shipping terms. Request a quote and we will reply within one working day with questions or a first costing.
Sources
Checked . Rules and figures change, so confirm anything that affects your pricing.