Alibaba.com on Thursday spotlighted a success story about Sarkar Exports from Narsingdi, Bangladesh which has substantially expanded its international business through the platform.
Sarkar Exports started its journey 18 years ago as a small knitwear manufacturer. With determination and vision, it has grown into a professional knitwear company, operating a 10,000 square-meter factory with 180 employees across three factories and two printing units.
Today, Sarkar Exports produces a wide range of garments—T-shirts, Polo shirts, hoodies, joggers, leggings, and sportswear—catering to international buyers with diverse needs.
But success didn’t come overnight. In the early years, the company relied on outsourcing production, which sometimes meant inconsistent quality and disappointed customers.
Orders were irregular, and trust was hard to earn. Faced with these challenges, MD Riam Sorkar, the company’s CEO, made a game-changing decision: to take full control of production. By producing everything in-house, Sarkar Exports could finally guarantee the quality and reliability international buyers expect.
The turning point came in 2019, when Sarkar Exports partnered with Alibaba.com through its local partner, Tradeshi Ltd. This opened the doors to global markets and introduced their products to international buyers who were looking for reliable suppliers.
“Our largest order on Alibaba.com was T-shirts, which sold in France. The quantity was 35,000 pieces, worth $112,000. Through Alibaba.com, we have been able to express ourselves to the whole world. Currently, year-on-year growth in exports through Alibaba.com is 30%, and 90% of our business now comes from this platform,” shared MD Riam Sorkar.
With Alibaba.com, Sarkar Exports transformed its business. Today, it exports to France, Italy, Canada, the USA, the UK, Spain, and beyond. Its main markets include North America (50%), Western Europe (40%), and Eastern Asia (10%). Annual exports now stand at $223,000, with steady growth every year.
Technology has also played a key role in their journey. Harnessing Alibaba.com’s AI tools for everyday efficiency, the team at Sarkar Exports has found new ways to save time and improve productivity.
MD Riam Sorkar explained that AI tools are now part of their daily operations, helping them handle inquiries and manage product information more effectively.
He further added: “Artificial intelligence mainly helps me more when I don't have any ideas or when I haven't logged into Alibaba.com for a long time, as it automatically responds to messages. Secondly, when I add a new product, it collects photos, texts, and keywords. Overall, it helps me a lot with these tasks, and I consider it a very useful tool.”
From a modest beginning in Narsingdi to securing one of its biggest orders in France, Sarkar Exports’ journey stands as proof that with perseverance, commitment to quality, and the right platform, no dream is too big.