Published at: The Financial Express, May 03, 2019
Local denim manufacturers are making efforts to diversify their product range towards recycling ones, following demands from global retailers like H&M, C&A and M&S, participants at a show said on Thursday.
The buyers are now investing in ‘circular recycled denim’ from post-consumable waste, they said.
“We are diversifying our products through using post-consumable waste both in terms of pet bottles and cotton in recent years in line with the buyers’ requirements,” Shahidul Hasan, director of operation at Amber Denim, told the FE.
Pioneer Denim, a sister concern of Badsha Group of Industries and also one of the country’s LEED certified denim fabric maker, has also focused on the new trend due to the business prospects and demands, Mohiuddin Ahmed, director at the group said.
Bossa, one of the largest integrated textile corporations of Turkey, is also participating a two-day ‘Bangladesh Denim Expo’ for the first time, said V Besim Ozek, its strategy and business development director.
The company, which offers a wide range of high quality denim fabrics including the recycled one, is exploring the business here in the country following its potentials being the growing denim hub, he noted.
Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) is organising the 10th edition of the two-day ‘Bangladesh Denim Expo’ focusing on ‘circularity’ that is taking place at International Convention City, Bashundhara.
The theme of circularity is to raise awareness and open debate about the need to embrace circular business practices, said Mostafiz Uddin, founder and chief executive officer of BAE.
“We live in a world where we are producing too much of clothing product that is then discarded rather than reused, recycled or repurposed – this linear business model is unsustainable for the future,” he added.
A total of 63 exhibitors from 11 countries are displaying their products in the show of denim manufacturers and buyers, organisers said.
The second Bangladesh Fashionology Summit was also held to unleash new era of fashion at the same venue with the theme digitalisation-the next destination.
The recent increase of wages and the cost of production have made it inevitable for the apparel makers of the country to concentrate on value added items, Mr. Mostafiz said at the opening of the summit.
The shift from producing basic to smart clothing will not be easy and it has to be done gradually with proper planning and preparation, he said, adding the summit would facilitate the shift.
