Bangladesh can create its own brand and earn more foreign currency from apparel sector by utilising the strength and talents of local business, said Mostafiz Uddin, a prominent denim entrepreneur of Bangladesh.“Bangladeshi apparel industry can’t move forward due to lack of proper strategy for long term,” he said. Mostafiz Uddin made the observation at a workshop on “How to build your own apparel brand and directly address to European and US Consumers” at a city hotel on Saturday.Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE), a private initiative aimed at promoting the country’s apparel industry, organised the workshop to find out ways and means how to develop the country’s apparel brand.Mostafiz Uddin, also Managing Direcor of Denim Expert Limited, has created the first Bangladeshi apparel brand for consumers abroad. He is also Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BAE.The workshop was organised to disseminate facts of the industry with due attention and find out the next growth strategy of the country’s apparel sector by designing locally owned international brand and selling those directly to Western consumers.About 200 top officials and representatives of various denim garments and textile and foreign brands and buyers participated in the workshop.Bangladesh, the second largest exporter of clothing merchandise, produces apparel items for global retailers such as Zara, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Gap and many more, said Mostafiz Uddin.But most of the Bangladeshi manufacturers which make clothes for the world’s famous brands yet to establish any global brand originated from Bangladesh, he said.Mostafiz also share his experience and knowledge for building a brand from purpose to product for entrepreneurs, fashion aspirants, and everyone with a dream to build their own brad.In the just concluded fiscal year, export earnings from the clothing industry witnessed just a 0.20 percent rise to $28.15 billion, the lowest in the last one and a half decades, according to the Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data.The overall Bangladesh’s export earnings also stood at $34.83 billion, which is 1.68 percent higher than the previous year $34.25 billion.Bangladesh Denim Expert Limited has been successfully exporting and selling its products under brand “Blue X only” with Made in Bangladesh tag in Europe since 1999, said Mostafiz Uddin.Mostafiz advised local entrepreneurs to build a brand aiming to given a promise to customers.Blue X only, the first ever Bangladeshi denim brand has a commitment to give sustainability, Mostafiz added.He also suggested local garment makers to keep their promises upheld with existing customers or buyers.Mostafiz suggested them to sell their online and offline besides exiting buyers.“I think the workshop will help RMG people to focus more on building their own brand to get better prices,” he added.“Now the market is very competitive so we need to complete on our own values and with our own stories”, he said.Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) director Md.Mohi Uddin Rubel gave welcome speech at the event.The BAE also announced that the second workshop of the knowledge series titled ‘making best journey to apparel trade fairs’ would be held on 23 September 2017. This workshop will highlight exploring the opportunities tradeshows offer and learning the know-hows of reaping business benefits from trade fair participations.
