Ready-made garment exporters posted their strongest quarterly earnings since 2019, industry data showed, as European and North American retailers placed larger winter orders after two years of cautious buying.
Shipment volumes to the European Union rose by double digits compared with the same quarter last year, while orders from North American buyers also picked up, according to figures released by the sector’s main trade body.
“Retailers had been running lean inventories since the pandemic,” said one factory owner in an industrial belt outside the capital. “This quarter felt like the first time buyers were confident enough to commit to larger volumes again.”
Factory owners credited faster port turnaround times and stable energy supply for the rebound. Average container dwell time at the main port has fallen by nearly a third over the past year, easing a bottleneck that had slowed shipments during peak season.
Still, several manufacturers called for continued investment in worker safety inspections ahead of the busy season, noting that a rapid ramp-up in orders can strain compliance if factories expand production too quickly without matching oversight.
