Bangladesh: Denim Expo focuses on ‘circularity’
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The 10th edition of Bangladesh Denim Expo taking place in the country’s capital Dhaka on May 2-3 focused on the topic of “circularity” for making the denim industry more sustainable.
Exhibitors as well as experts expressed their satisfactions over the trade show, saying that Bangladesh’s denim producers should adopt circular business practices to ensure sustainability of the sector.
The country’s denim business is growing gradually and setting up high tech for producing high-end products to attract buyers particularly from the European Union and the United States, they observed.
Currently, the denim makers are facing difficulties mainly due to the volatile price situation on both raw materials and chemicals in the global market, they added. They urged the authorities concerned to strengthen monitoring and supervision to ensure price stability of the essential items for the denim industries.
The expo focused on “circularity” as a theme for bringing positive changes in the whole denim supply chain management of the apparel and clothing sector. Circular fashion envisions a new future for the industry where clothing and accessories are designed in such a way that they're produced without microfibers and other harmful raw materials. A circular fashion industry is a regenerative system in which garments are able to circulate with maximum value retained for as long as possible before being able to re-enter the system through reuse or recycling.
Two panel discussions moderated by SPORTSWEAR INTERNATIONAL’s editor-in-chief Sabine Kühnl with the topics “Circularity: What It Means For the Bangladesh RMG Industry, Their Customers and End Consumer” and “Innovation Aids Circularity: What Advances Should the Bangladesh RMG Industry Embrace to Develop a Circular Economy?” These were two of the five total seminars presented at the expo that focused on the issue of circularity. Global and national experts shared their opinions, thoughts and experiences on the issues at the panel discussions and seminars.
In addition, a Trend Zone area, a unique space dedicated to showcase the latest denim trends and innovative products, was expanded in this edition. Here visitors were able to gain insights on denim fabrics, styling and finishing available in Bangladesh, together with an offer of the most relevant denim publications.Upcoming trends that are reigning in the denim fashion world, including circular denim designs and developments, were displayed in the zone.
“The theme of circularity is to raise awareness and open debate about the need to embrace circular business practices,” Mostafiz Uddin, founder and chief executive officer of Bangladesh Denim Expo, said in a statement. “We live in a world where we’re producing too much clothing product that is then discarded rather than reused, recycled or repurposed_this linear business model is unsustainable for the future” Uddin explained.
“We’ve chosen circularity as the theme of the expo because it is one of the most pressing topics facing the denim industry, and the wider apparel industry at present,” Mohiuddin Rubel, managing director of Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE), said.
Talking to SI, Sayeed Ahmad Chowdhury, general manager of Square Denim Limited, described the overall production situation, saying that most of the denim producers are now going to better quality offerings using the latest technologies. “We’re going to high-end products gradually from the basic ones to ensure sustainability of the denim sector of Bangladesh,” Chowdhury explained. He also said local denim makers are now facing price volatility of both raw materials and chemicals that also push up the overall cost of their productions.
MS Hasan, a director of Amber Denim, emphasized on improving the quality of products using latest technologies and fashions to get optimum price from the buyers. “We’ve to perk up the quality along with increasing the quantity of products that will help get higher price from buyers,” Hasan told SI.
Salahuddin Ahmed, managing director of M & J Group, said the denim producers have to increase value addition using local fabrics that will also help reducing their lead time. “Reduction of lead time is still a challenge for Bangladeshi exporters,” Ahmed noted.
More than 4,958 guests along with buyers of 51 countries from across the world visited the biannual event held at the International Convention City Bashundhara. A total of 63 exhibitors from across the globe including Germany, USA, Turkey, Italy, Singapore, Spain, Pakistan, Japan, China and India took part to display their latest products and services.
The next expo will be held at the same venue in Dhaka on November 5-6, 2019.
Source: https://www.sportswear-international.com