Pakistan Textile Exports Reach $1.65 Billion in September 2026, Up 4.68%

Short answer: Pakistan's textile exports were $1.65 billion in September 2026, up 4.68 per cent on September 2025, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) says. Textiles were 55.6 per cent of all exports. Exporters have reportedly warned that October to December could be weaker.

We opened the PBS external trade page on 17 October 2026 and read its advance release for September and the export statement. Those figures are provisional. The exporters' warning is not on any official page we could open, so we mark it as reported.

Textile exports were $1.65 billion in September, up 4.68 per cent on a year earlier

The PBS export statement puts the textile group at Rs 456,612 million, or $1,646.5 million, in September 2026. That is up 4.68 per cent in dollars on September 2025 and up 5.15 per cent on August 2026. In rupees the rise on last year is 3.09 per cent.

All exports were $2,961 million, up 18.49 per cent on last year, which is why textiles grew more slowly than the total. Petroleum products and rice rose faster. Textiles are 55.6 per cent of the month's total by our arithmetic. For the full-year picture, see our check of Pakistan's exports by sector.

Readymade garments and towels led while cotton cloth and bed wear slipped

Readymade garments grew 20.34 per cent in dollars on September 2025, to $396.2 million. Towels grew 16.77 per cent, to $100.4 million. Cotton cloth fell 0.7 per cent and bed wear rose 0.42 per cent, so those two were flat. Knitwear, the biggest line at $478.1 million, rose 2.79 per cent.

The mix matters for jobs and income. Garments, knitwear and towels are finished goods that employ many workers, while yarn and cloth are inputs that other factories use. A fall in yarn can mean mills sold less to local stitching units or to buyers abroad. The PBS tables do not say which, so we do not guess.

Cotton yarn fell 31.89 per cent in quantity and 29.45 per cent in dollars against August, even though it is slightly up on last September. The PBS note says its source is the Pakistan Single Window system, checked by the Federal Board of Revenue.

July to September total exports rose 11.13 per cent to $8.4 billion

PBS reports total exports for July to September 2026 at $8,445 million, up 11.13 per cent on $7,599 million a year earlier. Imports rose faster, up 13.20 per cent to $19,213 million, so the trade gap widened to $10,768 million, up 14.87 per cent.

Reports of the same data put the textile and clothing total for the quarter at $5.026 billion, up 5.26 per cent. We could not find that sum on the PBS pages we opened, so we call it reported. Price news in the same week is in our weekly inflation report.

Exporters reportedly warn that October to December may be weaker

Reports say a textile exporters' association expects a weaker October to December. The reasons given are softer demand in Western markets, higher sea freight and higher production costs. The association has also reportedly asked for a duty drawback of 6 to 8 per cent, faster refunds and cheaper industrial power.

Freight is reported to have risen to between 1.5 and 2.5 times its earlier level. If that holds, a buyer pays more to receive the same shirt, and may order less or push for a lower price. That is the reported link between shipping costs and orders. The PBS release does not measure it, and a single month of data cannot prove it.

Other reasons cited are that trade with Afghanistan has been suspended since October 2025 and that sales to the Middle East have fallen. We did not read the association's statement on its own page, so none of this is confirmed here. Its claims are best read as a view from the industry.

1. Read the PBS advance release each month.
2. Compare the textile group with the same month last year, not only with the month before.
3. Note which lines changed most, for example garments or yarn.
4. Treat provisional figures as open to revision in the next release.

Exporters facing rule changes abroad can also read about the US 10 per cent tariff on Pakistani goods.

Common questions about September textile exports

How much did Pakistan export in textiles in September 2026?

PBS puts the textile group at $1,646.5 million, or Rs 456,612 million, up 4.68 per cent in dollars on September 2025.

What were Pakistan's total exports in September 2026?

$2,961 million, up 18.49 per cent on September 2025 and 16.94 per cent on August 2026, according to the PBS provisional release.

Which textile line grew the most?

Readymade garments rose 20.34 per cent in dollars, to $396.2 million, followed by towels at 16.77 per cent.

Did exporters really warn of a slowdown?

It was reported that a textile exporters' association expects a weaker October to December. We could not read the statement itself, so we treat it as reported.

Is the PBS data final?

No. The figures are provisional and PBS revises them in later releases. The August figure in the same statement is marked as revised.

Where can I read the PBS release?

On the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics external trade page, under advance releases for September 2026.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked 17 October 2026. Source: PBS external trade statistics, advance release for September 2026 and the export statement and revised summary. Shares and sums marked as our arithmetic are ours. The quarterly textile total and the exporters' warning are reported, not verified at an official source. We will update this page when PBS or the association publishes more.