DHAKA – Bangladesh is set to quadruple polyester-chip capacity at a local producer, in a bid to reduce reliance on imported synthetic textile inputs. The move comes as garment makers seek to expand beyond cotton and move into new product segments.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a US$50mloan with Modern Syntex Limited, part of TK Group, to expand its polyester-chip manufacturing operation in the Mirsarai Economic Zone near Chattogram.
The project will increase the plant’s capacity from 107 tonnes to 407 tonnes a day. It is designed to produce high-intrinsic-viscosity polyester chips for higher-value textile and apparel applications, with commercial operations targeted for 2027.
The investment comes as Bangladesh’s garment industry remains heavily weighted towards cotton, while manufacturers look to capture more orders for man-made-fibre products. Industry estimates put man-made-fibre apparel at about 25 per cent of Bangladesh’s garment export revenues, compared with around 70 per cent of global clothing consumption.
Polyester demand in Bangladesh is estimated to be growing by about 10 per cent a year. The Business Standard reported in September that annual local demand is around 140,000–160,000 tonnes for polyester staple fibre, while demand for polyester yarn is estimated at 500,000–550,000 tonnes.
The same report said Modern Syntex already produces polyester staple fibre, filament yarn and PET chips, and meets nearly 21% of the country’s demand for polyester products. It also reported that a significant share of domestic demand is still met through imports. The ADB-backed expansion is therefore part of a broader effort to build domestic capacity, rather than Bangladesh’s first move into polyester production.
The ADB said greater local production could improve input availability and strengthen supply links for yarn, fabric and apparel makers. The project is also expected to introduce energy-efficient machinery, saving about 4,840 megawatt-hours of electricity and avoiding approximately 2,222 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions annually, according to the project report.
Bangladesh’s push into polyester could help suppliers diversify their product mix and reduce exposure to imported inputs. But the project’s capacity figures relate specifically to polyester chips; they should not be read as a direct measure of how much finished fibre or apparel Bangladesh will produce.
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