Pakistan's textile exports rose marginally by 0.90% to $9.166bn in the first half of FY2025-26, even as December figures revealed a sharp year-on-year contraction, underscoring mixed momentum in the country's largest export sector.

According to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, textile shipments during July-December 2025-26 reached $9.166bn, compared with $9.084bn in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.

Growth was supported by several key segments. Knitwear exports increased 4.09% to $2,670.662m from $2,565.637m. Ready-made garments expanded 4.89% to $2,144.293m, up from $2,044.319m, while bed wear rose 1.94% to $1,610.925m from $1,580.203m.

Other categories posting gains included tents, canvas and tarpaulin, up 7.37% to $71.678m, and made-up excluding towels and bedwear, which edged up 0.54% to $387.947m. Raw cotton exports surged 323.05%, though from a low base, climbing to $2.606m from $0.616m. All other textile materials rose 3.53% to $377.291m.

However, several components recorded declines. Cotton cloth exports fell 14.26% to $827.081m from $964.661m. Cotton yarn slipped 3.22% to $353.391m, while yarn other than cotton declined 3.45% to $16.810m. Towels decreased 3.17% to $513.222m, and art, silk and synthetic textiles dropped 4.65% to $190.263m.

Monthly data point to weakening performance at the end of the period. In December 2025, textile exports amounted to $1,350.863m, down 8.56% year-on-year from $1,477.300m in December 2024.

On a month-on-month basis, exports fell 5.11% compared with $1,423.579m recorded in November 2025.

The figures indicate that while textile exports achieved modest cumulative growth during the first half of the fiscal year, the sector faced headwinds in December, reflecting uneven demand across product categories.