Apparel sourcing & manufacturing strategist · Bangladesh
Smart, compliant garment sourcing from Bangladesh.
I help fashion brands turn ideas into production by matching them with audited, capability-fit factories in Bangladesh—and then staying inside the merchandising and production process so every style ships right, on time, and on cost.
Director of Merchandising & Marketing, Ethnotex Private Limited · Woven · Denim · Knit
No brokers. No shortcuts. Just disciplined, transparent sourcing from Bangladesh.
Who I work with
Global fashion buyers and Bangladesh manufacturing partners.
I sit between international brands that need reliable, compliant capacity and Bangladeshi factories that want long-term, value-adding relationships. If you’re on either side, this is how I help.
I sit between international brands that need reliable, compliant capacity and Bangladeshi factories that want long-term, value-adding relationships. If you’re on either side, this is how I help.
For fashion & apparel buyers
If you’re responsible for product, margin and delivery, I act as your on-the-ground sourcing and merchandising partner in Bangladesh.
You might be:
- A fashion or lifestyle brand building or expanding a Bangladesh sourcing base
- A buyer or merchandiser at a retailer needing additional compliant capacity
- A sourcing office that needs structured follow-up inside local factories
What you get:
- Factory shortlisting based on product type, compliance, capacity and price level
- Merchandising follow-up from development sample to ex-factory shipment
- Transparent costings and lead time planning before you commit volumes
- Support on quality, testing and inline checks alongside your nominated vendors
For manufacturers & factories
If you run a compliant factory in Bangladesh, I help you plug into the right buyers and build disciplined, repeat business.
You might be:
- A woven, denim or knit factory with export experience and stable capacity
- A specialized unit for shirts, bottoms, outerwear, kidswear or loungewear
- A manufacturing partner looking for fewer, better buyer relationships
What I look for:
- Structured merchandising team and clear English communication
- Recognised compliance: RSC / Accord / Alliance, BSCI, WRAP, SEDEX or brand audits
- Transparent costings and realistic capacity commitments
- Willingness to invest in sampling, PD and process improvement for key buyers
I don’t run a traditional buying house. I operate as an independent sourcing strategist, working transparently for both sides to build long-term, compliant business.
Core services
What I actually do for buyers and factories.
I stay involved from first brief to shipment, so both sides are clear on product, cost, capacity and risk. These are the core services I provide around Bangladesh ready-made garments.
Factory discovery & sourcing strategy
I help you translate your brand, product and margin goals into a practical Bangladesh sourcing plan with the right factories in the conversation.
- Map your product range to suitable woven, denim and knit factories
- Build shortlists based on capability, compliance, price level and capacity
- Coordinate initial sample requests and factory introductions
- Advise on which units to treat as strategic versus trial suppliers
Merchandising & production follow-up
Once a factory is nominated, I sit inside the merchandising and production flow to keep timelines, approvals and communication disciplined.
- Time & action (T&A) planning from development to ex-factory
- Sample tracking, comments, approvals and buyer communication
- Inline checks in coordination with your QA / nominated inspectors
- Escalation on delays, risks and decision points before they become problems
Costing, capacity & compliance guidance
I give you a realistic view of cost, capacity and compliance so you know what is possible before you commit volumes.
- Costing scenarios by fabric, wash, quantity and construction
- Capacity and lead time planning for seasons and repeat programs
- Review of factory compliance status and audit landscape
- Recommendations on risk, diversification and next-step investment
Why Bangladesh, why me
Bangladesh works best when you have someone inside the supply base working for you.
Bangladesh is one of the most important apparel hubs in the world. But the difference between a smooth season and a painful one is rarely price alone—it’s how well your sourcing, merchandising and factory teams are aligned on the ground.
Why Bangladesh for ready-made garments
If you need volume, variety and value in the same sourcing base, Bangladesh is difficult to beat.
- Deep capability in knit, woven, denim and bottoms across price levels
- Strong ecosystem of fabric mills, laundries, trims and accessories
- Competitive CM with improving compliance and safety standards
- Experience with fast-fashion timelines as well as long-term programs
Why work with me inside Bangladesh
I’ve spent years inside the Bangladesh supply base in merchandising, sourcing and marketing roles, sitting between buyers and factories to keep programs disciplined.
- Hands-on experience running development, bulk and repeat orders with local factories
- Able to translate buyer language into clear actions for factory teams
- Direct understanding of costing, capacity and risk from both sides
- Independent, transparent way of working—not a hidden-margin buying house
Not a traditional buying house
Typical buying house
Works mainly for their own margin and commission.
Keeps factory options and cost structures opaque.
Focuses on order capture; follow-up is inconsistent.
Relationship resets every season.
How I work
Works as an independent sourcing strategist with transparent fees.
Shares why a factory is shortlisted and how costings are built.
Stays inside the T&A, approvals and production follow-up.
Aims to build long-term, capability-fit partnerships on both sides.
Proof of work & insight
A snapshot of how I work with brands and what I’m seeing in Bangladesh.
I’m not guessing from the outside—I spend my time inside factories, T&A sheets and buyer conversations. Here are examples of the kind of work I do and the questions I help answer.
Featured case study
Stabilising woven shirts for a European lifestyle brand.
A mid-sized European lifestyle brand wanted to build a more reliable shirt program out of Bangladesh without constantly changing factories or pushing unrealistic margins.
- Buyer: European lifestyle fashion brand
- Product: Men’s casual woven shirts
- Role: Sourcing & merchandising support in Bangladesh
- Focus: Shortlisting factories, T&A discipline, realistic costing
- Fewer factories handling a larger, more stable program
- Clearer T&A and sampling rhythm between buyer and factories
- More predictable cost and capacity planning before each season
Latest insight
5 questions to ask before you start sourcing from Bangladesh.
Before you open a spreadsheet or share a tech pack, it helps to be clear on what you actually want from Bangladesh—beyond “better prices”. These questions keep your sourcing strategy grounded.
- Whether Bangladesh is the right base for your product mix
- How much capacity and flexibility you really need
- What level of compliance and visibility you expect
- How you’ll communicate and follow up with factories
Start a sourcing conversation
Tell me a little about your brand or factory.
Share a short outline of who you are, what you make or buy, and what you’re trying to solve. I’ll reply with whether I’m a good fit to help—and what a first step could look like.
When this is a good fit
I’m most useful when you’re looking for structured, long-term sourcing support rather than one-off price checks.
- You want to build or stabilise a Bangladesh sourcing base
- You care about compliant factories and clear communication
- You’re ready to share basic product, volume and timing information
- You prefer transparency over hidden commissions and guesswork
I read every message personally. If it’s not a fit, I’ll still try to point you in the right direction.
Quick sourcing & manufacturing brief