Bangladesh has seen a productivity boost at the cutting and knitting levels of garment manufacturing  due to automation and technological upgradation, while high efficiency has been witnessed in the production of jackets, according to a study by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).

The study covered six processes: knitting, weaving, wet processing, cutting, sewing and end-finishing . It explored whether technological convergence was taking place across firms and tasks.

The eight products covered included knit-lingerie, denim trouser, sweater, T-shirt, jacket, woven trouser, woven shirt and home textile.

Bangladesh saw a garment productivity boost in cutting and knitting due to automation and technological upgradation, while jacket production has seen high efficiency, a study revealed.
The garment industry maintained a compound annual productivity growth rate of 4.19 per cent in 10 years.
Cutting saw an annual productivity rise of 11.13 per cent, knitting 9.85 per cent and wet processing 6.11 per cent.

Automation-intensive areas drove the strongest performance, with cutting achieving an annual productivity increase of 11.13 per cent, knitting 9.85 per cent and wet processing 6.11 per cent, the study revealed.

In contrast, sewing, which remained the least automated and most labour-dependent component of the production chain, posted the lowest growth of 3.57 per cent.

Weaving and end finishing gained moderate growth of 4.43 per cent and 4.78 per cent respectively.

The garment industry maintained a compound annual productivity growth rate of 4.19 per cent during the last 10 years, domestic media outlets reported citing the study.

Jackets and knit lingerie emerged as the top-performing categories with 6.59 per cent and 6.43 per cent average annual productivity growth respectively, while traditional woven items like trousers and shirts showed significantly slower growth of 1.15 per cent and 3.0 per cent growth respectively.

Other products showing strong productivity growth included knit sweaters (6.05 per cent), home  textiles (5.58 per cent), and T-shirts (4.39 per cent).

Technologies previously exclusive to large companies, including automated cutting, semi-automatic sewing heads, laser/ozone finishing, auto-dosing in dyeing, and digital QC tools, were becoming widespread in medium-scale factories, the study found.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

Philippines merchandise exports continued their strong upward trajectory, rising 14.5 per cent year-over-year (YoY) by the end of November to reach $77.4 billion, already surpassing the full-year total of $73.27 billion recorded in 2024, according to data released by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

In November 2025 alone, exports climbed 21.3 per cent to $6.9 billion, supported by robust demand for consumer goods. DTI noted that this marked the eleventh consecutive month of export expansion and the third straight month of double-digit growth. Slower import growth also helped narrow the trade deficit by 9.9 per cent.

Philippines merchandise exports rose 14.5 per cent YoY to $77.4 billion by the end of November, exceeding 2024’s full-year total, as per DTI.
November exports jumped 21.3 per cent to $6.9 billion, led by consumer goods.
Footwear and garments recorded strong gains, while exports to the US, Hong Kong, Canada and Australia surged, narrowing the trade deficit and highlighting global competitiveness.

Within consumer goods, footwear exports surged 28.6 per cent, while garments posted an 11.2 per cent increase. Key export destinations during the month included Hong Kong and the United States at $1.2 billion each. Shipments to the Netherlands and Taiwan together amounted to $330 million, Germany recorded $295.9 million, and exports to Malaysia, Mexico and Italy each grew by more than 50 per cent.

Exports to Canada nearly tripled to $1.6 billion, while shipments to Australia rose sharply to $1.7 billion, underscoring the broad-based nature of the expansion.

DTI said the sustained growth highlights the continued competitiveness of Filipino products in global markets. Cristina Roque, trade secretary at DTI said that the strong performance of consumer goods reflects rising global demand and supports employment, incomes and new opportunities for exporters, as reported by the Philippine media.

Bianca Pearl Sykimte, export marketing bureau director at DTI attributed the momentum partly to improved market access. She attributed the momentum to improved market access, alongside gains from targeted export development and promotion initiatives, which are expected to support more inclusive growth going forward.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)