Bangladesh has become a lucrative destination for sports jerseys for its price competitiveness, exporters said.
The sector for jerseys and specialised sports garments, a knitwear sub-category, has abundant work orders as demand for jerseys is on the rise with mega sports events taking place all year round.
Bangladesh sells a single jersey for $5 to $6. Bangladeshi manufacturers export jerseys to brands like Nike, Puma, Adidas, G-Star, H&M and M&S. At least 20 factories in Bangladesh have exported jerseys for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.
Bangladesh does not supply football players' jerseys; the country mainly exports T-shirts and jerseys for spectators and supporters of different teams during big sports events globally
The prospect of sports garment business is bright, as many retailers are still placing work orders in Bangladesh. At the same time, manufacturers also need to maintain standards of the products strictly.
David Hasanat, managing director of Viyellatex Group, said: “Sports garment items have become a part of fashion now.” Viyellatex also sent a few million pieces of jerseys to countries like Brazil and Argentina on the eve of World Cup, he said, adding that Bangladesh has a good share in the global sports garment business.
DBL Group and Epyllion Group supplied eight million pieces of jerseys during the last FIFA World Cup, officials said.
Bangladesh exported knitwear worth $9.8 billion and woven garments worth $10.16 billion during July-April this fiscal year -- respectively 16.96 percent and 13.91 percent higher than those in the same period last fiscal year, according to Export Promotion Bureau.
