The study found that major sourcing countries have either re-shored or over-concentrated to a limited number of sourcing countries during the pandemic period. "There is a limited level of initiatives of major market players to keep the suppliers of major sourcing countries and the world of work in uncertainty to address the medium-term challenges." A significant shift in the distribution of export orders by buyers during the Covid-19 period (January–June 2020) has deprived several major supplying countries, including Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh's share in global knitwear markets fell from 8 percent in the pre-pandemic level to 6 percent in June last year. Similarly, the country's share in the woven segment declined from 7 percent to 6 percent during the period. Analysis shows that an additional $2 billion worth of orders could be redistributed to supplying countries if the pre-COVID period's market share of export orders is maintained in the case of the largest supplying country – China.

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