The EU apparel import market shrank overall. Total imports fell 5.10% by value (€54,388.83M → €51,613.75M) and 3.23% by volume (2,688.66M kg → 2,601.78M kg). The average unit price across all sources dropped 1.93% to €19.84/kg — the EU bought less and paid less per kilo.
Bangladesh fell further than the market: down 13.65% in value and 5.66% in volume, so it lost share rather than simply following the wider pull-back. Its average price fell 8.47% to €13.80/kg — already the cheapest supplier in the table, now cheaper still.
China and Vietnam moved the other way, growing 1.89% and 3.92% in value while the total market shrank. That growth came out of other suppliers’ share. Vietnam’s average price rose 11.76% and Cambodia’s rose 7.86% — gaining share while charging more, the opposite of Bangladesh’s pattern.
The trend is turning, though still negative overall. Through June, Bangladesh’s cumulative Jan-Jun decline was 16.43%. By July, the cumulative Jan-Jul decline had eased to 13.65% — a 2.78-point improvement, driven by two straight months of individual growth. From June 2026 to July 2026: up €362.35 million, a 26.50% increase (€1,367.37M → €1,729.72M):
• June: €1,355.53M (2025) → €1,367.37M (2026), +0.87%
• July: €1,667.66M (2025) → €1,729.72M (2026), +3.72%So the earlier months of 2026 (likely January–May) carried a much steeper fall, and June and July are the first signs of that decline narrowing rather than deepening. It’s too early to call it a recovery — the cumulative figure is still down double digits — but the direction over the last two months is positive rather than negative, which is worth noting alongside the headline year-to-date drop.
Mohiuddin Rubel, Founder & CEO – Bangladesh Apparel Voice
