Bangladeshi denim manufacturers have to showcase their strength and capacity, offering bulk of quality products’ and also executing orders of the global retailers.This observation was made by Mostafiz Uddin Managing Director of Denim Expert and CEO of Bangladesh Denim Expo during an interview with the Daily Observer (TDO).The interview progressed with the following questions and answers.
TDO: How Bangladesh can showcase its strength to the global buyers and brands?
Mostafiz: There is no alternative to promotion of products as long as we are in the market, where a lot of opportunities remain untapped and unexplored.Expositions are the effective means that help manufacturers to showcase their products and at the same time buyers can choose items for procurement.Bangladesh needs aggressive promotional activities with diversification of markets to tap on the global opportunities given the fact that we have only 6.3% share of the global market and most importantly 85% of our exports is still concentrated within EU and North America.While we have opportunities and capabilities to explore them, organizing expo within the country can make a huge difference to tap the opportunities.Expo on the local ground can create a win win opportunities to both manufacturers and buyers to find the best match and generate business because the opportunity can be availed by all different categories of businesses under the same roof.
TDO: How to reach global buyers?
Mostafiz: Expositions are meeting place for those who have demand and supply for particular range of items, i.e. buyers and sellers. Expo provides opportunities to a seller by creating an opportunity to network with buyers, showcase products and capabilities, and most of all by establishing direct communications which is critical to grow the relationship based on trust and mutual understanding. Seeing is believing; that’s the essence of expo.
TDO: How to enter into value added or higher end products?
Mostafiz: Bangladesh is still producing the basic apparel products. To enter into the value added products, especially in denim products, Bangladesh needs more promotion and patronisation of research, development and innovation.
TDO: What are the key challenges for Bangladesh to capture more global denim market share?
Since the safety standard in the Bangladesh apparel industry has gained international standard and certification from buyer’s platforms, it has an enormous opportunity to grow in the global export market.
Denim products have become a key player in the country’s export earnings and grabbing market share gradually.
TDO Please tell us about the next edition of Bangladesh Denim Expo.
Mostafiz: The ninth edition of the Bangladesh Denim Expo is going to be held in Dhaka on November 7-8 with focus on simplicity of total supply chain.
The two-day mega exposition will be held at the International Convention City, Bashundhara, where the latest trends and innovations in denim products and technology will be showcased.
The underlying concept of the Bangladesh Denim Expo is to fulfill the needs of the international denim community, offering the opportunity to make new contacts with potential buyers, discovering new products and to gain a comprehensive overview of the latest developments available from the Bangladesh denim industry.
