Pakistan’s textile exports recorded a significant increase of 9.31% during the first eight months of the current fiscal year (July-February 2024-25) compared to the same period last year, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Monday. During this period, textile exports reached $12.18 billion, up from $11.14 billion in July-February 2023-24, reflecting steady growth in the country’s textile sector. Key Textile Commodities Driving Growth Several textile products contributed to this export boost, including: ✔ Knitwear – Up 17.08% to $3.39 billion from $2.90 billion ✔ Bedwear – Increased by 13.11% to $2.11 billion from $1.87 billion ✔ Ready-made garments – Surged by 19.94% to $2.77 billion from $2.30 billion ✔ Towels – Grew by 5.59% to $729.3 million from $690.7 million ✔ Tents, canvas, and tarpaulin – Jumped 18.56% to $91.3 million from $77 million ✔ Art, silk, and synthetic textiles – Up 11.29% to $270.8 million from $243.3 million ✔ Made-up textile articles (excluding towels and bedwear) – Gained 9.73% to $523.3 million from $476.9 million ✔ Other textile materials – Slight increase of 2.89% to $496.4 million from $482.5 million Declining Textile Commodities While overall textile exports witnessed a strong uptrend, some segments experienced a sharp decline: ❌ Raw cotton exports plummeted by 98.44% to $8.71 million from $55.75 million ❌ Cotton yarn exports fell 35.63% to $481.6 million from $748.3 million ❌ Cotton carded or combed exports dropped by 98.08%, from $654 million to $6 million Final Thoughts The textile industry continues to be a key driver of Pakistan’s economy, with knitwear, garments, and bedwear leading the growth in exports. However, declining cotton-related exports highlight the challenges in raw material supply and production. Moving forward, sustained policy support, innovation, and global market expansion will be crucial to maintaining this growth trajectory.