The wave of layoffs that has hit the textile and garment industry in recent years has not necessarily led to rising unemployment. Amid the pressures faced by the sector, a new phenomenon has emerged: the rise of small and medium-sized industrial players (IKM) from the ranks of former factory workers.
Sri Lanka’s apparel industry is on the brink of a major transformation as President Anura Kumara Dissanayake pledges aggressive policy support to revitalize the sector. This strategic move is aimed at bolstering dollar earnings and strengthening the country's footprint in the global market. A high-level meeting at the Presidential Secretariat recently served as a critical turning point, bringing together top government officials and industry leaders to ensure that the national export strategy evolves into a functional engine of growth rather than remaining a mere policy document.
The garment and textile industry in Thailand is undergoing a significant structural shift as of the first quarter of 2026. According to data from the sourcing intelligence tool TexPro, the nation’s total textile imports fell by 7.1 percent year-on-year, dropping to $562.56 million from $605.47 million in the same period of 2025. While the overall import volume has dipped, the internal composition of these imports reveals a growing reliance on processed textile inputs rather than raw materials.
The garment sector in Bangladesh is facing a tumultuous period as a wave of factory closures continues to sweep across the country. Most recently, Unique Designers and Unique Washing & Dyeing, located in the Board Bazar neighborhood of Gazipur, announced their permanent closure. This decision has left at least 1,800 workers unemployed. While the owners have committed to settling all outstanding wages and legal benefits by July 27, these closures are reflective of a much larger, ongoing trend.
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