In April this year, Nasa's Artemis II mission made history by taking astronauts on the first crewed journey around the Moon in more than 50 years. The 10-day mission, which concluded with the crew's return to Earth on 10 April, marked a major milestone in human space exploration.
The mission could also be a source of pride for Bangladesh. Local exporters claim that the Stryke trousers worn by the astronauts during their journey around the Moon were manufactured at a factory in Ashulia, on the outskirts of Dhaka.
The claim, however, could not be independently verified.
The clothing worn by the astronauts was identified as a product of the US brand 5.11 Tactical. Ananta Garments, a factory in Ashulia, exports the same product to the brand through a Hong Kong-based company, according to the factory's management.
Although 5.11 Inc has yet to confirm whether the pants worn by the astronauts were made in Bangladesh, information on the website of Grainger, a US-based retailer and industrial-product distributor, lists Bangladesh as the country of origin for the Stryke pants under 5.11 Tactical's tactical pants range.
Ridwan Zahir Khan, director of Ananta Companies Limited, told The Business Standard, "After analysing various pieces of information, we have found that the clothing worn by the astronauts, particularly the Stryke pants, was exported from our factory."
He said, "We export clothing to the US brand 5.11 through an agency. We exported products to the brand through two consignments in November and December 2025."
"When we saw the 5.11 Tactical brand's Stryke cargo pants, style #74369, in the Artemis II footage, there was a wave of excitement across our teams at the head office and the Ashulia factory," he added.
He said, "Our people make this pant every day, every pocket, every bartack, every curve of that stitch, to a standard that a brand like 5.11 trusts. To see that design travel around the Moon makes us immensely proud. It shows the world what Bangladeshi skilled workmanship and Bangladeshi proficient industrial engineering can do."
According to Ananta Companies, its teams have been working on the Stryke programme since 2021, while Ananta Garments has been the manufacturer of record for the style since 2023. Production is ongoing, with the factory's production lines still running in October 2026. The company said it had produced 4,60,681 pairs of Stryke pants over the years.
Officials at the factory said the 5.11 Tactical Stryke cargo pants, style #74369, are manufactured in both Bangladesh and Vietnam. However, they claimed that the pants supplied to 5.11 by Vietnam are exclusively for women, while Ananta Garments exports men's versions of the product. On this basis, they believe the pants worn by the astronauts were manufactured at their factory.
According to information on 5.11 Tactical's website, a pair of Stryke pants of this type retails for $95. However, the management of the Bangladeshi garment factory declined to disclose the export price of the product.
The Business Standard sent an email to the company's corporate address but had not received an immediate response.
Last week, a navy-blue coat worn by US President Donald Trump attracted attention, prompting the management of another factory under Ananta Group in Bangladesh to claim that the garment had been made at its facility.
Industry entrepreneurs said Bangladesh was once widely regarded as a manufacturer of basic, low-cost clothing. However, the situation has changed, they said, with the country now producing medium- and high-value garments for leading global brands, some of which retail for more than $1,000.
Shovon Islam, managing director of Sparrow Group, a leading garment exporter with annual exports worth more than $300 million, told TBS, "Five years ago, mid- and high-end products accounted for around 10% of Bangladesh's total exports. That share has now risen to around 20%."
He said, "Some suits and party dresses made at our factories are exported at retail prices of $300 or more per piece."
He added that some buyers who previously placed orders for basic products are now reducing those orders and shifting towards higher-end products.