Tuesday Dec 30, 2025
Tuesday Dec 30, 2025
Tuesday, 30 December 2025 03:53 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lanka’s apparel industry has delivered a robust performance during the first 11 months of 2025, with cumulative exports reaching $ 4,571.99 million, marking a 5.42% increase over the same period last year, according to data released yesterday by the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF).
Sri Lanka’s total apparel exports for November 2025 reached $ 367.60 million, representing a slight decrease of 1.96% compared to $ 374.94 million in November 2024.
The monthly performance showed mixed results across key markets: US $ 152.32 million (up 5.79% from $ 143.98 million), EU (excluding UK) $ 119.61 million (up 3.35% from $ 115.73 million), UK $ 43.63 million (down 13.83% from $ 50.63 million), and other markets $ 52.04 million (down 19.44% from $ 64.60 million).
Despite the November softness, cumulative apparel exports for the 11-month period from January to November 2025 demonstrate solid growth, reaching $ 4,571.99 million—a 5.42% increase over the corresponding period in 2024 ($ 4,336.84 million).
Year-to-date (YTD) performance by market: EU (excluding UK) $ 1,435.39 million (up 13.07%); other markets $ 742.98 million (up 5.75%); US $ 1,769.08 million (up 1.73%); and UK $ 624.54 million (down 0.22%).
The JAAF said: “The 5.42% growth in our cumulative exports for the first 11 months of 2025 reflects the resilience and adaptability of Sri Lanka’s apparel sector in navigating a challenging global environment. While we experienced a modest 1.96% decline in November, this should be viewed within the broader context of our strong YTD performance.”
“Particularly encouraging is our 13.07% growth in the EU market, which demonstrates the success of our strategic focus on strengthening relationships with EU buyers and meeting their increasingly stringent sustainability and compliance requirements. Similarly, our continued growth in the US market, despite tighter margins, shows that Sri Lankan manufacturers remain competitive on quality, delivery, and ethical manufacturing standards,” it added.
