Green Industrialization is one of BGMEA’s many initiatives to gain sustainability
The apparel industry in Bangladesh touched the milestone of having 163 US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified green factories, the highest in the world.
On June 28, Sharmin Fashion Ltd, unit-2 obtained the Platinum certificate whereas AKH Knitting and Dyeing Ltd obtained the Gold certificate.
According to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh’s RMG sector has taken the lead in green manufacturing with 49 in the platinum category, 100 in gold, 10 in silver and another four LEED-certified factory buildings as of June 28.
Industry insiders said that the apparel sector of Bangladesh is now standing at the threshold of becoming the global leader by facing the growing challenges in the area of sustainability, climate change, groundwater depletion, efficiency and many more.
Green Industrialization is one of BGMEA’s many initiatives to gain sustainability and take the industry to the next level, they added.
According to apparel manufacturers, the move towards green factory buildings helped to regain Bangladesh’s image after the Rana Plaza tragedy, which claimed 1,134 lives and left more than 2,000 injured.
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Green factories also help to cut down the usage of energy by 40% and water consumption by more than 30%. It also emits less carbon which further ensures environmental safety, said the BGMEA officials.
Green buildings also ensure a safe workplace for workers as the factory owners have to follow certain rules for the construction of the buildings.
Mohiuddin Rubel, director of the BGMEA said: “More than 550 factories are in the pipeline to get LEED certification.”
Earlier, Faruque Hassan, president of the BGMEA, said that Bangladesh is a greenfield for investment in the growing apparel sector.
He also said that Bangladesh has 163 LEED Green garments factories certified by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
Moreover, BGMEA pledges to the Green Button, which is a global seal of excellence in sustainability by the government of Germany.
He further said that they will focus on establishing a sustainable, energy-efficient, and eco-friendly apparel industry and do more with recycling, circular economy, and innovation.
