Bangladesh recorded double-digit growth in demand for inspections for textile and garment items from the international retailers and brands in the first quarter in 2021 compared to Q1 of 2020 and 2019, indicating sustained expansion over pre-pandemic levels rather than a simple rebound.
The Hong Kong-based QIMA survey said this in its latest report.
The growth in demand for inspections means increasing work orders for textile and garment items from international retailers and brands.
“By contrast, China’s competitors in textiles and apparel, such as Vietnam, India and Bangladesh, recorded double-digit growth in demand for inspections compared to Q1 2020 as well as Q1 2019, indicating sustained expansion over pre-pandemic levels rather than a simple rebound,” the QIMA report said.
Even though China continues to emerge strongly in the post-pandemic period, the long-term diversification trends in the global supply chain are continuing to chip away at its dominance – and while the surge in first-quarter China sourcing volumes compared to the previous year is undeniable (inspection demand +55% YoY in Q1 2021 vs. Q1 2020), it does not always translate into growth compared to the pre-pandemic period, it said.
The Textile and Apparel sector is a vivid example of this trend: while textiles inspection demand in China rose +8.3 per cent year-on-year in Q1 2021, it still represented a 20 drop compared to Q1 2019.
As businesses hope to leave the “crisis mode” of the pandemic behind them, China sourcing is bouncing back strongly but is yet to return to pre-Covid levels, while alternative sourcing regions such as Vietnam, India and Turkey are experiencing sustained levels of growth.
