Sweater manufacturer in Bangladesh

Cotton sweaters and knitwear made in Bangladesh enter the UK, the EU, Canada, Australia and New Zealand at 0% duty under their least developed country schemes, with a DCTS declaration or Form A for the UK, a REX statement for the EU, and local-content rules in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Flat-knit sweaters are knitted to shape from yarn in Bangladesh, so the origin position is usually clear even where the yarn is imported; ask us to confirm it for your market. The United States gives no preference and charges 16.5% on cotton sweaters under HTSUS 6110.20.20, plus the 10% Section 301 tariff on Bangladeshi goods from 24 July 2026; wool and acrylic blends fall under different lines with different rates, so send the fibre content with your enquiry. The tax at import (VAT or GST) applies everywhere except the US and is recovered by a registered importer. Our landed cost calculator turns your quote into a delivered price.

Gauge describes how many needles a knitting machine has per inch, and it decides how fine or chunky the knit looks. Low gauges, such as 3 to 5, produce thick, textured knits with visible stitches, ideal for cable and fisherman sweaters and cold-weather styles. Mid gauges around 7 to 10 give a versatile, medium-weight knit used for many everyday sweaters and cardigans. Fine gauges of 12 to 14 create smooth, lightweight knitwear that sits close to the body, often used for merino basics, knitted polos and layering pieces. Gauge works together with yarn thickness, because a fine gauge needs a finer yarn. It also affects cost and speed: chunky knits use more yarn, while fine knits take longer to knit. Share a reference sweater or photos, and we will recommend the gauge and yarn that match the look.

Yes. Computerised flat-knitting machines create a wide range of patterns directly in the knit. Jacquard knits two or more colours into a repeating pattern across the garment, often used for Fair Isle and graphic designs, with the unused yarn on the reverse either secured or knitted in. Intarsia places blocks of colour, such as a logo or motif, in specific areas without loose yarn behind them, which gives a cleaner result but takes longer to knit. Cable knits twist groups of stitches to create raised rope patterns and suit lower gauges. Pointelle, rib variations and knitted-in logos are also possible. Each technique affects yarn use, knitting time and price, so we recommend discussing your artwork early. The factory programs the pattern and knits a swatch or sample for approval before bulk production starts.

Yarn is most of a sweater’s cost and almost all of its character. Cotton and organic cotton knit crisp, cool sweaters for spring and autumn ranges. Acrylic and acrylic blends are the lowest-cost route to a warm, soft, easy-care knit and are common in fashion and promotional programmes. Merino and lambswool blends bring warmth, drape and a premium hand-feel at a higher yarn price, and need care labels for hand or wool washing. Viscose and nylon blends add drape and strength to fine-gauge knits. Recycled cotton and polyester yarns, certified under the Global Recycled Standard, give a traceable sustainability claim. Because knitting time rises with finer gauges and heavier yarns cost more per kilogram, the same style in a 12-gauge cotton and a 5-gauge wool blend can differ widely in price. Send us a reference sweater and we will match the yarn and gauge before quoting.

Longer, and the reasons are structural rather than a matter of effort. Yarn is often dyed to order, and yarn dyeing has its own minimums and lead time before knitting can start. Each size of each panel is knitted on a flat-knitting machine, then the pieces are linked and finished, which is slower per garment than cutting and sewing jersey. Sampling also takes longer, because a knitted proto has to be programmed and knitted rather than cut, and each change to gauge, stitch or shaping means a new programme. The practical consequences: settle yarn, gauge and colour before sampling rather than after, order your sweater range earlier in the season than your knit basics, and expect a wash and measurement test on the pre-production sample because knits move more than wovens. Ask for a dated critical path with the quote, so the knitwear delivery is planned, not hoped for.

Our orders start at 500 pieces per style and colour; the exact minimum for your sweater and the shipping term are confirmed on your quote. We publish no prices, because five things set a sweater’s price. Yarn matters most: wool, merino and cashmere blends cost far more than acrylic and cotton. Gauge and stitch complexity come next, because fine gauges and cables take longer on the machine. Every extra colour in a jacquard or intarsia needs its own yarn feed and more handling. Linking is hand-controlled work, priced per panel rather than per garment. And quantity per colour counts, because each yarn colour is dyed separately and carries its own dyeing minimum, so every colour has to reach its quantity on its own. Send a reference sweater or photos with the yarn, gauge and colours, and we will reply with the minimum and price for your exact style within one working day.

A fully fashioned sweater has its panels knitted to shape on the machine, while a cut-and-sew sweater is cut from lengths of knitted fabric and then sewn together. Cotton Incorporated describes cut and sew as the most common method: it allows a high production rate and lets the cutter work around fabric defects. Full fashioning widens or narrows each panel by transferring loops to neighbouring needles, which leaves visible fashion marks and, in Cotton Incorporated’s words, provides a better fit and a smoother seam; the shaped panels are then joined by linking, which is hand-controlled work priced per panel. A third route knits the whole garment on the machine with no cutting or linking at all. For a buyer the choice shows in the seams and in the price, so state the method in the tech pack and say whether seams are linked or overlocked.

US duty on a sweater from Bangladesh depends on the fibre that predominates by weight, and the general rates for the main fibres run from 4% to 32%. On 1 October 2026 the US tariff schedule lists wool sweaters at 16% under 6110.11.00, sweaters wholly of cashmere at 4% under 6110.12.10 and other cashmere sweaters at 16%, cotton at 16.5% under 6110.20.20, and man-made fibre sweaters, which covers acrylic and polyester, at 32% under 6110.30.30. Two lines inside the man-made group are lower: 17% where the garment contains 23% or more wool or fine animal hair by weight, and 6.3% where it contains 30% or more silk. An acrylic sweater with a quarter wool therefore carries a general rate of 17%, not 32%. The 10% Section 301 tariff on goods of Bangladesh, from 24 July 2026, is added to each rate. Send the exact fibre percentages, and have a customs broker confirm the line.

A wool-blend sweater must be labelled with its fibres by name and percentage, and wool carries stricter rules than other fibres in the United States and in Europe. In the US, the FTC requires wool or recycled wool to be disclosed by name and percentage even when it is less than 5% of the garment, where other fibres below 5% are grouped as other fibre; reclaimed wool is called recycled wool; and a speciality fibre such as cashmere may be named only with its percentage, and only where its average fibre diameter does not exceed 19 microns. The FTC allows a 3% tolerance on stated percentages, and none on a single-fibre claim. In the UK and EU, virgin wool and fleece wool are reserved for wool never before incorporated in a finished product, and in a blend that wool must be at least 25% of the weight, with further conditions in Article 8 of Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011.