The proposed Bangladesh–US trade understanding, which could allow near zero-tariff access for Bangladeshi garments to the American market subject to specific riders, has triggered debate within India’s textile and apparel industry. The real gains from zero tariffs may be limited due to high freight costs, longer lead times, and insufficient capacity in Bangladesh’s spinning and weaving/knitting sectors.

Bangladesh is already among the top suppliers of apparel to the US, particularly in basic knit and woven categories such as T-shirts, trousers and sweaters. A tariff advantage, even if modest, could sharpen its price competitiveness in high-volume, price-sensitive segments dominated by mass retailers.

The proposed Bangladesh–US trade understanding offering near zero-tariff access for garments has sparked debate in India’s textile sector.
While Bangladesh may gain a price edge in basic apparel, industry leaders believe the effective advantage could be limited to 2–3 per cent due to raw material dependence, capacity constraints and logistics costs.

However, Indian industry leaders argue that the net gain for Bangladesh may be restricted to around 2–3 per cent in effective competitiveness. They point to structural constraints, including Bangladesh’s heavy reliance on imported raw materials. A significant share of its fabric and yarn requirements is sourced from China and India, limiting flexibility in rules-of-origin compliance if strict value-addition conditions are attached to the deal.

Capacity limitations in spinning, weaving and man-made fibre processing are also seen as bottlenecks. While Bangladesh has built scale in garmenting, its upstream integration remains narrower than India’s diversified fibre-to-fashion base. Indian exporters emphasise that integrated supply chains offer advantages in speed, customisation and smaller batch production.

Logistics and lead times may further temper expectations. Distance from major US ports, coupled with infrastructure pressures and global shipping volatility, could offset part of the tariff benefit. In contrast, Indian suppliers have been investing in port connectivity, digital compliance systems and flexible production models to strengthen reliability.

Industry representatives also highlight that US buyers are increasingly factoring in sustainability, traceability and geopolitical risk. India’s growing adoption of renewable energy in textile clusters, compliance with global standards and broader product depth may help it retain strategic sourcing partnerships.

While some diversion of orders in basic categories cannot be ruled out, exporters believe the overall impact will be incremental rather than disruptive. The consensus view is that tariff preference alone is unlikely to override considerations of scale, compliance, diversification and long-term supply-chain resilience.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)

American sports equipment company Brooks Running closed 2025 with record-breaking global revenue, achieving a 16 per cent increase year-over-year and extending its track record to nine consecutive years of growth. Regional performance remained strong with 13 per cent growth in North America (NA), 22 per cent in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), and 66 per cent in Asia Pacific and Latin America (APLA) where China sales increased 245 per cent. These results contribute to a 14 per cent compound annual growth rate over a nearly 25-year growth period, reflecting Brooks’ disciplined focus on performance innovation for runners since 2001.

“Running continues to gain extraordinary momentum around the world as more people choose movement as part of their approach to health and wellness,” said Dan Sheridan, Brooks CEO. “Our opportunity ahead is incredibly exciting and I have great confidence in the entire Brooks global team. Following a record 2025, we enter 2026 energised by the innovations and programmes we’ll deliver to runners and retailers worldwide.”

Brooks Running closed 2025 with record global revenue, up 16 per cent year-over-year, marking its ninth straight year of growth.
Strong gains came from North America, EMEA, and Asia Pacific–Latin America, led by a surge in China.
Growth was driven by performance innovation, strong footwear sales, and new lifestyle collections and collaborations.

In EMEA in 2025, the performance running footwear market grew 14 per cent in France and 21 per cent in Germany with Brooks outpacing both 22 per cent and 28 per cent, respectively, the company said in a press release.

In 2025, ten Brooks footwear styles posted year-over-year revenue growth of 20 per cent or more. The Glycerin series, featuring Brooks’ new DNA Tuned midsole foam, delivered 33 per cent revenue growth and a 27 per cent increase in unit sales year over year, accelerated by a 46 per cent year-over-year revenue surge in Q4.

At Paris Fashion Week in January 2025, Brooks unveiled its new lifestyle footwear collection, which celebrates the brand’s 112-year heritage as a leader in sport and answers customer desire for performance-inspired silhouettes to wear on and off the run. Brooks partnered with streetwear pioneers and visionaries to launch multiple sought-after collaborations including the Brooks x STAPLE Adrenaline GTS 4 with New York-based Jeff Staple and the Brooks x RSVP Gallery Caldera 8 with the renowned Don C.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)