Diversion of orders from Bangladesh’s rivals has opened up new opportunity for local denim goods producers, potentially helping the country to replace China as the world’s No. 1 exporter, industry insiders said.To cope with the increasing demand, the country’s denim industry is poised to go for expansion and upgradation, they said.Bangladesh, the second largest producer of denim products after China, ships around 200 million pieces of denim jeans around the world annually, and has more than 5,000 factories concentrated around Dhaka and the port city of Chittagong. “Though other segment of garment is facing dearth of orders, denim manufacturers are enjoying good export orders due mainly to an increase in denim consumption across the globe,” “Managing Director of Argon Denims Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury Parvez told The New Nation on Monday.He said good price range and quality the two factors, helping Bangladesh to fast replace China as the world’s biggest denim exporter.Parvez said Bangladesh has become one of the most important centres for denim apparel production and export across the world. In fact, it has come up as the second important exporter of denim apparel to the world market, experts said.He said demand for denim goods has been increasing. However, the European Union (EU), the US and Russia top the list in denim importing nations.To meet the growing demand of denim fabric to international market the local investors are setting up large plants in the country, he added.According to Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), better quality and competitive price range more then 66 international brands includes Charles Voegele, G-Star, Jack and Jones, Oliver, River Island, H&M, C&A, PVH and GAP have turned to Bangladesh in the last couple of years for denim product imports.Jahangir Alamin, former President of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), said many companies are going to almost double their capacity.He said that new export orders for denim goods have surged by nearly 20 per cent when fresh orders for knitwear and other woven products are on the wane.Bangladesh produces 30 million yards of denim a month against monthly demand of nearly 60 million yards; total investment in the denim sub-sector is Tk 70 billion, according to BTMA data. The data showed that around 25 domestic denim makers supply 50 per cent of the demand.Abdus Salam Murshedy, Managing Director of the Envoy Group, said not only China, but also some other rival countries including India, Pakistan, Vietnam and Indonesia are also losing their market share to Bangladesh for denim goods in the US and EU market. He said the country’s manufacturers are producing high quality denim fabric for the world market.He said international buyers including EU and the US are now showing interest to source denim product from Bangladesh bypassing China, India, Pakistan and Vietnam.Khandakar Mohammed Saiful Alam, managing director of Nassa Group, a leading garment maker, said many western retailers are turning to Bangladesh to source denim goods.In 2014, exports of denim products to the US and EU markets rose by roughly 25 per cent, he added.Md. Atiqul Islam, former President of BGMEA, said denim orders are being diverted from Pakistan, Turkey and China to Bangladesh.Kazi Shamsur Rahman, head of the department of Apparel Manufacture & Technology (AMT) of BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology, said “The denim fabric goods is comfortable and looks smart, which has resulted in its use”.He said denim jeans for both men and women are available in the market, which is suitable for all seasons.According to BGMEA in last ten months 20143-15 the country’s garment makers exported nearly 200 million pairs of denim jeans in men’s and boys category to the world market.
