Manufacturers having to bear costs associated with lowering water and carbon emissions
According to industry sources, the country’s denim manufacturers are still not getting a fair price from its global buyers, despite investing heavily in sustainable denim manufacturing.
They have currently reduced the amount of water used for washing per kg of denim to 10 litres from 360 litres.
They were speaking on Monday at the 14th edition of Bangladesh Denim Expo 2023 and the expo’s sideline in the capital.
They also stated that climate change is a concern for everyone, but the manufacturers are having to bear the costs associated with lowering water and carbon emissions.
Denim manufacturers expect that the situation will change if they will be able to create awareness among consumers across the world.
Talking to Dhaka Tribune, Mostafiz Uddin, founder of the Bangladesh Denim Expo said that climate change is a global crisis and sustainable apparel’s expense should be shared-based among the manufacturers, brands and retailers.
“But still all expenses are being borne by the manufacturers. The manufacturers should increase the price to sustain sustainable apparel, to save the world,” he added.
They took the initiative because consumers in the western world also want that the garment they wear is made to comply with sustainable practices as well as use less water in washing and less power consumption.
At the sideline of the event, Tanvir Hossain, project manager of Spanish brand Jeanologia, said many of the local denim producers in Bangladesh are using nine liters of water for washing a pair of jeans using ozone and laser technologies.
However, the majority of the denim fabrics producers are using between 15 litres and 30 litres of water for washing the denim fabrics in Bangladesh, he added.
Jeanologia supplied laser technology to more than 800 factories in Bangladesh.
Previously the millers were not aware of the overuse of water in Bangladesh but now they are aware and using less water and fewer chemicals for washing the denim, he added.
Hossain also said the high inflation in Europe because of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has been affecting business as the sales of machinery slowed down.
Brant Tong, sales manager of XDD Textile from Vietnam said business is slow now because of inflation.
Business might pick up after six months as the global crisis may come down in the major export destinations in the western world.
“We are using less water for dyeing and washing the denim fabrics with the use of modern technologies,” he said.
Alice Tonello, managing director of Tonello of Italy also said the garment business is down in Europe now because of high inflation from the Russia-Ukraine war.
Consumers have changed a lot after the Covid-19 pandemic as now they like to spend more on tourism and other experiences rather than spending more money on garment items.
Tonello, who mainly supplies the technologies of washing and dyeing, also said the Bangladeshi millers reduced water consumption significantly with the use of technologies.
Denim manufacturers said though they have yet to get better prices despite huge investments to set up high-technology machinery to reduce carbon and water consumption, they will continue the initiatives, whether brands increase prices or not.
They believed that as western consumers are highly concerned about climate change, the move will bring something good after a certain period.
Azizur R Chowdhury, managing director of JM Fabrics, said: “We are manufacturing sustainable apparel but still the consumers are not informed about it. That’s why we need to take some steps such as road shows in the export destination countries, exhibitions, etc.”
When we receive the ‘Sustainable apparel manufacturer’ tag, brands are bound to pay more thanks to customers’ pressure.”
At the panel discussion, Pacific Jeans Director Sayed Mohammad Tahmir said: “It is true that we are not getting better prices even after a huge transformation, the move will bring something good one day. We are waiting for the time and investing in sustainable apparel.”
The 14th edition of the Denim Expo has been going on at the ICCB since Monday, organized by Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE).
Over 90 local and international exhibitors are attending the event to display fabrics, garments, threads, machinery, finishing equipment and accessories.
