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Sri Lankan apparel exports cross $5 bn in 2025

28 Jan '26

2 min read

Sri Lankan apparel exports cross $5 bn in 2025

Pic: Shutterstock.com

Insights

Sri Lanka's apparel exports crossed $***** billion in 2025, rising *.*% year on year, supported by steady demand from the US, European Union and UK.
December exports grew *.*% to $****.** million, led by strong gains in core markets.
Industry body JAAF said the milestone highlights resilience and called for expansion into emerging markets to sustain growth in 2026.

The growth was driven by strong demand in Sri Lanka’s three largest destination markets. Exports to the US rose *.** per cent to $***.** million, while shipments to the European Union, excluding the UK, increased *.** per cent to $*** million. The strongest growth came from the UK, where exports surged nearly ** per cent to $**.** million. In contrast, exports to other global markets declined *.** per cent to $**.** million.

Collectively, the US and EU accounted for around ** per cent of Sri Lanka’s total apparel exports in December and contributed the bulk of the month’s year-on-year growth. Industry analysts noted that sustained demand from these regions provided critical stability at the year-end, despite softer conditions in other markets.