Bangladesh, which is the second largest garment exporter after China in woven and knitwear segments, is also attracting international retailers for its technical and non-traditional garment goods. Bangladesh has started supplying military uniforms, travel bags, backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, outdoor jackets, jute slippers and other jute goods. Currently, Bangladeshi factories, especially the ones in export processing zones, are performing well in export of non-traditional items and Bangladesh factories supply uniforms for the British army and French navy. Very few people know that Bangladesh is the top exporter of army boots for some European nations. The boots are made in the factories housed in the EPZs of Chittagong.
Bangladesh also produces high-quality ski jackets. The export prices of ski jackets, produced in the Bangladeshi EPZ factories, range between $1,200 and $1,500 apiece. The factory owners, mostly foreigners, train the workers for two to three months for producing the technical products.
Mainly foreign investors are allowed in the EPZs to set up their factories. In recent years, many foreign investors established factories in the EPZs to produce technical and non-traditional garment items mainly due to higher cost of production in China. The US and some European countries are the main export destinations for such non-traditional and technical items.