Bangladesh’s garment industry is expanding its market reach beyond the traditional US and European markets, focusing on the Gulf region, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which have seen a significant rise in garment exports in the last financial year.
Figure: Bangladesh’s apparel exports to Saudi Arabia and Gulf Soar to new heights.
The industry, which accounts for 80% of the country’s exports and employs four million people, has been hit by a decline in sales in traditional markets since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, prompting a reorientation of the promotion strategy.
The country made $42.6 billion between July 2021-June 2022 from garment exports, with the EU and the US being the largest markets. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association’s data reveals a surge in exports to the Gulf, with sales to Saudi Arabia rising by 40% to $125 million and to the UAE up by 21% to $183 million.
The country is positioning itself to capture the Middle East’s substantial apparel imports, with China and India being the major suppliers currently. The presence of a considerable number of Bangladeshi workers in the Gulf region presents another opportunity to promote and introduce Bangladeshi products.
Today marks the eleven-year anniversary of the Rana Plaza building collapse, a catastrophic event in Bangladesh’s garment industry history that claimed the lives of approximately 1,134 workers and left 2,500 others injured in 2013.
Regarded as one of the largest industrial disasters in the global clothing sector, the quest for justice remains elusive even after over a decade.
Every year, as the day returns, families of the deceased workers and injured survivors, along with labour leaders and activists, gather at the site in Savar to honour the victims and renew their call for justice.
This year was no exception.
This morning, floral tributes were laid at the makeshift memorial while labour organisations held vigils and meetings to emphasise their longstanding appeals.
Photo: Noman Mahmud
Their demands encompass various measures, including identifying all responsible parties, ensuring maximum punishment for those culpable, including building owner Sohail Rana, revising compensation laws and providing financial support to affected families, providing lifetime income compensation, comprehensive long-term treatment and rehabilitation for the injured workers, building a permanent monument at the site, establishing an emergency fund to support all workers and designating 24 April as a national day of mourning and safety day, with the closure of all factories.
Rafiqul Islam Sujan, president of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, lamented the lack of progress, noting the plight of injured workers who have not received adequate compensation or proper rehabilitation.
Photo Mehedi Hasan
He said, “After eleven long years, our demands remain unaddressed. Many injured workers have passed away without receiving justice or proper compensation. It is disheartening that a permanent monument has yet to be erected at the site. We continue to stand here with the same demands, hoping for meaningful action,
Bulbuli Akhter, a worker injured in the Rana Plaza tragedy, lamented her ongoing plight, stating, “I am enduring an inhumane existence after being crippled by the collapse. Despite a mere token donation, I have yet to receive proper compensation or justice. None of our demands have been addressed.”
Photo Mehedi Hasan
Similarly, Hawa Begum, who was on the 8th floor during the incident along with her daughter and sister-in-law, shared her struggles, saying, “Though I survived, my life has been far from normal. My daughter and I continue to suffer from serious injuries, making everyday life unbearable. We are still awaiting rightful compensation.” Joining them were numerous other injured workers gathering at Rana Plaza, each echoing similar grievances.
Photo Mehedi Hasan
Every year, on this day, Abdul Mannan pays a visit to the site in Saval from Barishal to mourn his son Rafiqul, who perished while working on the 5th floor.
He said, “Rafiqul, my fourth child among seven, was laid to rest after being recovered 14 days post-collapse. Yet, justice still eludes us.”
On the occasion of the 11th anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse, various labour organisations, including garment workers, pay tribute to the victims at Jurain Cemetery in the capital on Wednesday (24 April) and demanded maximum punishment for those responsible for the murder. Photo Mehedi Hasan
Families of the victims and rights groups alike perceive the tragedy as premeditated murder and demand severe punishment for the perpetrators.
Sarwar Hossain, General Secretary of the Garment Workers Union, asserted, “The Rana Plaza collapse was no accident but a calculated act of murder. It’s disheartening that justice remains elusive. We urge for maximum punishment for the guilty, echoing the collective demand of all.”
Longtime American mall retailer Express Inc, which imports readymade garment (RMG) products worth around $100 million a year from Bangladeshi manufacturers, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The brand intends to close more than 100 stores, reports Reuters.
The retailer whose portfolio includes brands such as Express, Bonobos and UpWest Express, listed assets and liabilities in the range of $1 billion to $10 billion, according to a filing with the bankruptcy court in Delaware.
Eleven affiliated firms of the brand also filed their respective Chapter 11 petitions.
Express Inc also named Mark Still as its new CFO, effective immediately. The executive has served as interim CFO since November 2023.
As part of the bankruptcy process, the company will close approximately 95 Express retail stores and all of its UpWest stores, starting Tuesday, it said, without specifying the locations.
The company operates about 530 Express retail and Express Factory Outlet stores in the United States and Puerto Rico and around 12 UpWest retail stores, according to its website.
Launched in 1980, Express has been battling with soft consumer demand due to slowing spending patterns and increased price sensitivity in discretionary categories.
The bankruptcy filing was expected earlier this year.
Credit monitoring firm Creditsafe said at the time that late payments have been a consistent problem at Express, an indication of ongoing liquidity problems report, sourcing journal.
According to industry insiders, about 12-14 top Bangladeshi RMG manufacturers have business with this iconic brand. Their annual import value is about $100 million.
They also said some of them have some outstanding payments from this brand.
Shovon Islam, managing director of Sparrow Group, one of the manufacturers that exports RMG goods to Express, said the brand informed us they are going to file chapter 11 for restructuring their business.
“I believe that Express is an iconic brand in the USA and they have a huge loyal customer base. After restructuring and some changes and new investments, Express will emerge again strongly. Given Bangladesh is a very strategic sourcing destination for Express, they will treat Bangladesh vendor’s pending payments and future orders in a favourable way” he hoped.
The American retailer said it has received a nonbinding letter of intent from a consortium led by brand management firm WHP Global. Other members of the consortium include mall landlords Simon Property Group and Brookfield Properties.
The offer is for the sale of a majority of the chain’s retail stores and operations. But given that it is a nonbinding offer, others could come in and kick the tyres.
Sources said Sycamore has already been snooping around and pondering a possible offer. Sycamore had its eye on Express back in June 2014, when word surfaced that it was interested in acquiring the retailer.
At the time Sycamore held a 9.9% interest in Express. The two were working on deal terms when the transaction collapsed in January 2025 due to certain financing issues.
However, WHP could be seen as having the upper hand since it has held a 7.4% investment stake in the company since January 2023. As part of that investment, WHP holds a 60% interest in a joint venture licensing agreement valued at $400 million, to which the brand management firm contributed $235 million.
Garment industry stakeholders are exploring alternative dispute resolution (ADR) for resolving labour disputes in the sector, avoiding the lengthy and costly nature of the traditional legal system.
A recent study by the Solidarity Center, conducted by Jagannath University Professor Mostafiz Ahmed, highlighted the potential of ADR for the RMG sector.
The research was presented at an event in Dhaka that brought together legal professionals, worker representatives, and garment industry leaders.
The traditional system for resolving labour disputes is slow and expensive, panellists said. As an alternative, experts are exploring ADR. ADR uses a neutral third party to help workers and employers negotiate a quicker, more affordable settlement.
However, regarding the formulation of ADR, the labour leaders and the sector concerned said that they emphasised fixing a specific time for dispute resolution to prevent the prolongation of judicial work.
MA Awal, district and session judge of Dhaka’s Labour Appellate Tribunal discuss the significance of ADR in expediting dispute resolution processes.
Ruhul Amin, president of the Bangladesh Federation of Workers Solidarity, stressed the need for continuous dialogue and engagement to address systemic issues and promote sustainable practices within the apparel sector. He urged stakeholders to prioritise the well-being of workers and uphold their rights as integral components of a thriving industry.
The discussion explored the specific types of ADR mechanisms that could be most beneficial for labour disputes in Bangladesh, as well as the potential challenges in implementing and utilising these alternative methods.
A distinguished panel, including legal professionals, worker representatives, and a representative from the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, discussed the current challenges and potential solutions for resolving labour disputes.
Industry insiders shared their perspectives on the effectiveness of the traditional legal system and the potential benefits of implementing ADR mechanisms.
Bangladesh’s apparel exports to the European Union market surged by 8.5% month-on-month to around €1.3 billion in February this year – the highest in the last four months.
However, shipments to the 27-nation economic bloc remained 18.6% lower compared to the corresponding month a year ago, according to Eurostat.
Bangladesh has witnessed the most significant decline in apparel exports among its competitors in the EU countries during the first two months of 2024. This trend mirrors a similar decline observed in the United States market during the same period.
SM Mannan Kochi, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said apparel exports are facing a challenging time as most buyers are not paying proper prices.
He explained that exporters are losing competitiveness despite increased production costs caused by utility price and wage hikes.
He also expressed concern that the escalation between Iran and Israel may significantly affect exporters in the coming months.
Mohammad Hatem, executive president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, echoed the sentiments of the BGMEA president.
He mentioned that inquiries from western buyers had increased in recent months, but many manufacturers have been unable to entertain their orders as buyers are offering low prices.
Hatem also noted that buyers are now looking for shorter lead times, but Bangladesh’s shipment time has increased to 89-90 days from 50-60 days due to the gas crisis. Consequently, many western buyers are placing their orders in Vietnam and China instead, he said.
In January-February 2024, the South Asian nation experienced a significant decline in its apparel exports to the EU market, amounting to a decrease of 26.74%.
According to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, Bangladesh’s exports totalled €2.48 billion during this period, down from €3.39 billion in the corresponding period of 2023.
Exporters highlighted that despite a surge in global demand for apparel, Bangladesh’s benefits were minimal due to prolonged lead times and escalating production costs.
Specifically, the country saw a decline in its knitwear exports to the EU in January-February 2024, amounting to €1.42 billion compared to €2 billion in the same period a year ago.
Similarly, the country’s woven garment exports to the 27-nation economic bloc during the first two months of 2024 decreased to €1.06 billion from €1.38 billion in the corresponding period of last year, according to Eurostat data.
Recent data from the US Department of Commerce’s Office of Textiles and Apparel indicates that Bangladesh has fallen behind its competitors in apparel exports to the American market during the January-February period of 2024.
According to OTEXA data, Bangladesh experienced a notable decline of 19.24% in its apparel exports to the US during the first two months of this year. This contrasts with China, which saw export growth of 0.48%, and Vietnam, which recorded an increase of 0.14% during the same period.
According to Eurostat, clothing imports by the EU from various countries witnessed a decrease of 15.31% to €12.53 billion in the first two months of 2024, down from €14.80 billion in the same period last year.
Specifically, apparel imports from China to the EU in the January-February period dropped by 13.12% to €3.33 billion, compared to €3.83 billion in the same period of 2023.
The EU’s apparel imports from Turkey decreased by 10.69% to €1.54 billion, down from €1.72 billion in the same period of the previous year.
At least 20 people were injured in a clash between police and garment workers at BSCIC industrial area in Fatullah of Narayanganj today (21 April).
Quoting witnesses, police said that a group of workers of Abanti Colour Tex Limited blocked Dhaka-Munshiganj road at about 9:30am after placing bamboo, sticks, electric poles and logs demanding payment of their dues.
A 2-kilometre tailback was created on the road due to the blockade. Vehicular movements in the area came to normal around 4 pm.
On information, police rushed to the spot and the clash started at about 12:30pm when police tried to disperse the workers.
A chase and counter-chase took place in the area.
Police lobbed tear gas shells and fired rubber bullets and used water cannons to bring the situation under control.
Workers said that the factory was declared closed on 8 April without clearing the dues for the month of March.
The owner of the factory earlier assured that they will pay their dues through mobile banking before Eid-ul-Fitr but the workers did not get their salary.
Vehicular movements in the area came to normal around 4:00pm.
It needs to adopt technology and invest in skill development and innovation for high valued product manufacturing
Bangladesh has widened the gap with its close competitor Vietnam in the global apparel export market to retain the second position as supplier of clothing items after China.
According to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and General Statistics Office of Vietnam data, in 2023 Bangladesh earned $47.38 billion, which is $14 billion higher than Vietnam’s $33.33 billion in the same period.
In 2022 the gap was $8.14 billion as Bangladesh earned $45.70 billion against Vietnam’s $37.57 billion.
Though the widening gap gives exporters confidence, but experts as well as the sector people warned not to be complacent as Vietnam is competing with Bangladesh with almost half of the workforce. It is a threatening factor for Bangladesh to retain second position in the global market.
Bangladesh’s apparel industry employs over 4 million people, while Vietnam’s labor force in the sector is over 2.5 million.
Bangladesh lost its second position to Vietnam in 2021, when it earned $27.47 billion against the latter’s $29.8 billion.
“If we consider Bangladesh’s gap with China, it is very large. But in the last two years, we have done better than Vietnam. However, it does not guarantee that we will remain second as Vietnam’s apparel export performance was better in the last couple of years,” said Professor Mustafizur Rahman, distinguished fellow at Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
To sustain the growth and remain the second largest exporter title, we have to identify our shortcomings and ways to grow further, said the economist.
Rahman also urged to be prepared to face the post LDC challenges as it may lessen our competitiveness in the export markets due to tax benefits erosion.
Problems and ways forward
In terms of comparative benefits, Vietnam is in a strategic location with the European Union and the US, while it has competitive labor costs. The country has focused on technology and innovation as well as invested more in skill development.
“We have a good number of factories but the lion share of RMG export earnings are contributed by a few large groups,” said SM Khaled, Managing Director of Snowtex Group.
Figure: SM Khaled, Managing Director of Snowtex Group.
Our capacity is larger than Vitamin but we produce mostly basic items except a few. In contrast, Vietnam makes high valued goods and earns better prices, said Khaled.
On the other hand, despite having a big workforce, we are manufacturing less quantity and basic items as their skill and productivity is comparatively lower than Vietnam, he said.
“They have a closer supply source of raw materials from China and a strong backward linkage industry.”
To cash the opportunity of capacity and large volume workers, we have to invest in skill development and move towards product diversification of most non-cotton and high valued goods, said Khaled.
“Bangladesh manufacturers are weak in product marketing. As a result, they take basic orders. For example, from a buyer an exporter can grab 50,000 basic work orders but similarly he/she has to negotiate at least five brands or buyers to grab 50,000 orders, said Abrar Hossain Sayem, a director of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
Bangladesh has to set a strategy on how to take a $2-$3 order to $5-$6 one. Buyers pay $15 for a woolen sweater, while an acrylic sweater pays $5-$6 on an average, said Sayem.
“We have to address this challenge to reap the most benefits of our capacity.”
For high valued products manufacturing, supply of raw materials is crucial and no alternative to establish a strong backward linkage. We have to develop fabrics for high end products to compete with Vietnam, said the CEO of Merchant Bay Limited.
Low workers’ wages were an advantage for Bangladesh but in recent years it has been over as the cost of production increased due to the hiked prices of utility services, explained sector people.
In addition, the minimum workers’ wage rose to Tk12,500 for entry level workers, which reduces competitiveness, they said.
On top of that, workers productivity is less than Vietnam and the use of technology is much better than Bangladesh.
Foreign investments matter
In moving towards the high-end products manufacturing, foreign direct investment plays a key role. But Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the textile and garment sector here in Bangladesh is relatively low.
This is because of a lack of well-developed infrastructure and good governance. In addition, doing business is harder than in Vietnam in case of getting license and utility services.
Higher corporate tax and complexity in the tax system are other barriers in attracting overseas investment.
Bangladesh is not even receiving enough Chinese investment, which is shifting to South Asian nations. Chinese investors are choosing Vietnam for investment in the RMG sector.
Technology adoption crucial
The Vietnam apparel and textile sector is undergoing a digital transformation, optimizing processes and boosting efficiency. They have embraced the latest technology such as WFX PLM, ERP and MES. Manufacturers are using robotics and automation solutions as well as supply chain management.
“If we look at the present situation of the industry in terms of technology use, sustainability practice and safety, it is far better than any time. We have upgraded technology, established an innovation centre and developed a training programme for skill development,” said immediate past BGMEA president Faruque Hassan.
Exporters are now exporting high valued items such as denim, jackets, suits, which contributed to widening the gap with Vietnam. Through research we have identified challenges and opportunities of non-cotton exports, said the business leader.
Contribution of non-cotton products to garment exports increased to 29% from 25% over the last three years and Bangladesh’s export earnings from non-cotton items rose to rise $42bn by 2032 with proper investment, said Hassan.
So, Bangladesh will continue to grab market share and decrease the gap with number one exporter China as well as widen the gap with Vietnam, said Hassan.
Green building, also known as sustainable or eco-friendly building, refers to the practice of creating structures and utilizing processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life cycle, from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. The goal of green building is to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment.
On the other hand, greenwashing is a deceptive marketing or public relations practice used by companies to portray themselves as environmentally friendly or socially responsible when, in reality, they are not taking meaningful steps to reduce their environmental impact or improve their social responsibility. It involves misleading consumers into believing that a company’s products or practices are more sustainable or eco-friendly than they actually are.
Bangladesh Green Building Movement are very strong especially in Textile and RMG sector. Bangladesh now is the home of the Best LEED Green Building in the World (SM Sourcing, LEED Platinum with 106 Points) and also top 9 out of top 10 LEED Platinum certified factories of the World are in Bangladesh.
USGBC LEED is very comprehensive sustainable checklist evolved in last 30 years and became very popular Green Building Rating System in the World. LEED has worldwide acceptance as sustainable practice benchmark of any development. 183 Country and Territories in the World have LEED certified projects.
Worldwide fashion industry is one of the main sources of Carbon Emissions, Energy and Water Consumptions and Environment and Water pollutions. In fight to change and reduce Global Warming and Carbon Emission, Fashion Industry talking noticeable measures and as supply chain Bangladesh RMG sectors need to be and have to be part of it.
For that reason, the buyers of RMG from Bangladesh are encourage and give priority to LEED certified project. Bangladesh Government also encourages sustainable developments and practices with number of incentives such as “Sustainable Refinancing” at very low rate (5%) and Corporate Rate Discount (2%). Till today (23.03.2024) Bangladesh has 792 projects are registered with USGBC and among them 239 are certified (87 Platinum, 133 Gold, 15 Silver and 4 Certified as of 3.23.2024).
To satisfy buyers sustainability priority, getting preferences, qualifying for low-cost funding or corporate tax discount, a number of projects are pursuing LEED certifications. Unfortunately, few of these are pursuing LEED certificate for ornamental purposes without doing much and that is called ‘Greenwashing’.
LEED Green Building Concept when follow properly can provide significant benefits to the projects such as follow; –
Reduce Building Construction Cost by 2% to 5% (New Building)
Reduce Building Running Cost
Reduce Construction Time by 20% to 30%
Reduce Replacement Cost
Reduce Cost of Investment or Loan by 5% to 7%
Reduce Corporate Tax by 2%
Global Benefits with less carbon emissions and higher acceptances
Environmental Benefits with less energy, water and resources consumptions
Improve “Indoor Environmental Quality” for Health & Productivity
Improve Marketing Advantages with International Recognitions
Improve Corporate Branding with ESG Reporting
Improve Personal Satisfactions with Comprehensive Sustainable Practices
“If we understand LEED Green Building Concepts in a factual way, the cost is not an issue. If we analyze the costs and benefits in a meaningful way, we will see LEED Green Building Cost lees then regular buildings and create significant profits for the companies.”
If we do it right, Buyers do not need to pay more. Because we already saving energy, water, resources, replacement cost, cost of loan and with better Indoor Environment our productivities are increased and turnover rate are reduced.
On the other hand, achieving LEED Certificate with ‘Greenwashing’ will not create all above benefits and we may complain that ‘Buyers do not pay more’.
Greenwashing can undermine consumers’ trust in environmental claims and make it difficult for them to make informed choices. It’s important for consumers to critically evaluate the environmental claims made by companies and look for credible evidence to support those claims. Additionally, organizations and regulatory bodies may take measures to combat greenwashing and hold companies accountable for misleading marketing practices.
Author: Ananta Ahmed, International Green Building Expert, USGBC Faculty, LEED AP BD + C, LEED AP EB O+M, LEED AP ID + C, LEED AP HOME, LEED AP ND Principal LEED Consultant & MD – 360 TSL.
In summary, while “green” denotes authentic efforts toward environmental sustainability characterized by transparency, substantive actions, and long-term commitment, “greenwashing” refers to deceptive or superficial attempts to appear environmentally friendly without genuine commitment or meaningful action.
Bangladesh RMG sector is mostly depending on European Buyers and they abide by European Union rules and regulations. Recently European Union talking initiative to tackle ‘Greenwashing’ practices’ and asking for Sustainable Practices transparency and verifiable evidences.
In March 2022, the European Commission proposed to update EU consumer rules to support the green transition. In September 2023, Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on the updated rules.
MEPs approved the agreement in January 2024, followed by the Council the following month. EU countries have 24 months to incorporate the update into their national law.
So, we need to be ready and prepare for what is coming. We need to have better (digital) Energy and Water consumptions monitoring system, better sustainability practices parameters, innovative idea to reduce our overall carbon footprints and documentation to verify our claims.
The majority of the raw material yarn and fabric produced in the garment factories of Bangladesh is cotton. However, its local production capacity is negligible (2-3%) compared to the demand. So it is almost entirely dependent on imports. At present the demand of cotton every year in the country is more or less 85 lakh bales. Although cotton was brought from different countries of the world, Bangladesh was dependent on India for a long time.
Figure: World’s leading cotton suppliers like the USA, Australia, Africa and India supply cotton to Bangladesh.
Over time the dependence of Indian cotton is decreasing due to many factors, among which third country warehousing is playing a major role. Among them, some warehouses have been built in Malaysia’s Klang port using financing facilities from Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank. Bangladeshi importers can bring cotton from there within seven days according to demand.
According to the country’s yarn and cloth producers, if quality is taken into consideration, the United States will be number one, Australia will be second and African cotton will be in third position. Indian will rank 6th or 7th position. However, a large amount of cotton is now being imported from Africa mainly due to third country port warehousing facility.
Mohammad Ali Khokon, President of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) said that there are many complications in storing cotton in the country. The interest rate on inventory goes up a lot. For this reason shippers store cotton in third country’s port according to the demand of Bangladesh. It can be brought in just seven days. Mainly because of this advantage, the import of cotton from the African region is gradually increasing.
Based on National Board of Revenue (NBR) data, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says that in the 2022-23 marketing year (August-July), Bangladesh’s largest cotton imports came from West Africa, which accounted for 39 percent of total demand, with 9 percent sourced from Cameroon and 3 percent imported from Chad. As such, 51 percent of the total cotton import has been from countries in the African region.
Besides, 16 percent was imported from Brazil of South America, 12 percent of cotton comes from neighboring country India and 10 percent of the cotton came from the United States. However, trust on USA-made cotton’s among Bangladesh’s textile millers also increasing for its quality and contamination free– US cotton imports reached almost $470 million in 2022.
Large movement of cotton used to come to Bangladesh mainly from India, as the neighboring countries and availability of cheap cotton. But the yarn and cloth producers of the country claim that the quality of cotton coming from India has never been satisfactory. Moreover, Indian institutions often do not keep their promises. Problems also remain in yarn-fabrics produced due to substandard cotton.
Meanwhile, African cotton does not differ much from India in terms of price also the cotton is better than India. Although the country is far away from India, Bangladeshi importers are preferring Africa instead of India due to third country warehouse facilities. Due to which the import of cotton from Africa is increasing and from India has decreased to a large extent.
Born from a passion for innovation in 2018, Pure Chemicals has become a leading name in Bangladesh’s denim washing and textile auxiliary market. As the exclusive partner of SOKO Chimica-Italy, Pure Chemicals brings a commitment to consistent excellence.
Md. Forhad Hossan, CEO, Pure Chemicals has been leading the innovative trading company. Recently Forhad Hossan shared his in-depth dimension and future vision of the overall washing and textile processing industry and Pure Chemicals journey with Textile Today. Here is the essence of the conversation for the readers.
Textile Today: Can you please share with us about your journey from the very beginning? Please tell us about Pure Chemicals.
Md. Forhad Hossan: I started my career back in 2008. With over 15 years of experience leading global textile chemical companies, I honed expertise in customer needs, product lines, and garment washing sustainability. This knowledge fueled the launch of Pure Chemicals as an innovative trading company.
Pure Chemicals is dedicated to providing the best quality product at the best price along with robust technical support and a top-notch system with the highest ethical and professional standards by maintaining international regulation with a mission to be a leader in the textile and washing industry in Bangladesh.
From the very beginning of Pure Chemicals journey, we distanced ourselves from providing conventional solutions. Rather, we focused on R&D and innovation-driven solutions for the washing industry
Textile Today: Please tell us about SOKO & its initiative towards sustainability.
Md. Forhad Hossan: Italy-based, SOKO Chimica-Italy is a 100-year-old leading chemical company. Providing innovative chemical auxiliaries/solutions for fashion and the textile industry. SOKO’s constant research for sustainable and innovative solutions from best-sourced raw materials – made it one of the most active companies in the textile chemical sector. Providing premium quality solutions for the denim washing sector.
Textile Today: Please tell us about the innovations of SOKO. How SOKO can help the Bangladesh washing industry become more sustainable.
Md. Forhad Hossan: Sustainability is the ultimate way forward for the textile chemical company. To ensure sustainability SOKO Chimica uses only certified and safe premium quality raw materials coming from reliable chains. The results have continuously pursued new challenges to supply eco-friendly products that are ZDHC level-3, OEKO-TEX, GOTs, REACH and ECO PASSPORT certified.
Textile Today: In this competitive market how Pure Chemicals can help the washing Industry to become more competitive.
Md. Forhad Hossan: Pure Chemicals is dedicated to providing the best quality product at the best price along with robust technical support and a top-notch system with the highest ethical and professional standards by maintaining international regulation with a mission to be a leader in the textile and washing industry in Bangladesh.
Our top-notch production-friendly solutions are suitable for the local washing and textile processing industry. For example, Pure chemicals provide Cellulose-based Bio-Polishing enzymes for stonewash – which significantly reduces cost. Its success rate is 100% in indigo fabric. Besides, it reduces other issues like slasher problems in ETP’s while using Pumice stone.
Another top solution is ‘Black Magic’ by SOKO, which optimizes the Sulphur bleach by reducing the processes. Instead of two/three conventional baths – Black Magic requires a single bath at low temperatures. Saving time (30 minutes), less fabric stress, less dangerous Chemicals, ensuring energy saving and giving black denim a better hand-feel.
Overall, a practical and cost-effective solution for the denim market.
Textile Today: What is your vision for the future of your company? How do you plan for the upcoming years?
Md. Forhad Hossan: I have taken the path of slow and steady as the future vision of my company. As a premium category solution provider, we mainly target premium manufacturers. In 2024, I want to grow my business by 50%.
Moreover, I have a plan to start a local production facility in 2027. This will greatly enhance Bangladesh’s washing and textile processing industry. I will import the raw materials and produce processing chemicals here.
The recent global crises like COVID and supply chain challenges have taught us to be self-reliant.
As a 20-year-old industry veteran, I understand the denim sector’s demands, quality and other crucial aspects.
Textile Today: How does your company prioritize customer satisfaction and ensure that your clients receive the support and expertise they need to succeed in their operations?
Md. Forhad Hossan: We have an extensive range of products that ensures customers receive top-quality solutions at competitive prices, backed by unparalleled technical support.
In addition, as SOKO is my Principal, we have a standby technical team to deliver support anytime and anywhere. Thus solving any issue the customer faces.
With a focus on upholding international standards, Pure Chemicals empowers the industry to achieve textile perfection, every time.
Hanif Spinning Mills Ltd. in Bangladesh achieved a remarkable 10% increase in its ring spinning productivity, thanks to a 50% reduction in doffing time and an impressive 80% decrease in yarn breaks during restart. Rieter After Sales solutions do not only improve performance but contribute to the sustainability of spinning mills.
Mohammed Hanif, Managing Director, Hanif Spinning Mills Ltd (Fig.1) said, “The guiding arm refurbishment and doffer kit solution offered by Rieter helps us increase productivity by 10%. It improves the working performance of the machine by reducing the operators’ intervention significantly. We are planning to implement these conversions for the remaining 26 ring spinning machines.”
Figure 1: Mohammed Hanif, Managing Director of Hanif Spinning Mills Ltd.
Hanif Spinning Mills Ltd. is renowned for its ability to consistently produce the best Ne 20 to 40 yarn in their segment in Bangladesh. The company has been running its ring spinning machines G 33 for over 20 years.
Due to the aging of the components in critical areas of drafting and doffing, the customer faced two major challenges that affected the machine’s performance and the operators’ efficiency, resulting in decreased production output. The first challenge was the load variation and random lifting of guiding arms which occurred due to key components that were worn out.
This led to quality inconsistency between spindles, undrafted roving, fiber lapping on top and bottom rollers and increased yarn breaks during running. To overcome this issue, the customer was forced to maintain a higher drafting load of above 2.6 bar.
A second challenge was the inefficient doffing cycle due to unwanted machine stoppages and manual intervention, resulting in reduced machine efficiency and an increase in restarting yarn breaks. The frequency of the doffer operation is higher due to the coarse yarn count being processed. Hence, the impact of the doffing cycle time is key to machine efficiency.
A solution with impact
The Rieter after sales team offered two solutions: the guiding arm refurbishment and the doffer maintenance kit. The guiding arm refurbishment consists of the pressure hose, top levers, pressure saddle and other technological components. This helps restore the original performance of the drafting system by ensuring a uniform load across the machine, resulting in stable drafting and consistent yarn quality.
The doffer maintenance kit consists of key doffer related components that help retain the doffing cycle time to its standard level of 180 seconds without any manual intervention.
Ensuring consistent yarn quality while increasing productivity
After the implementation of these maintenance kits on two machines (Fig.2), performance improved significantly. The guiding arm refurbishment enables load uniformity across the machine. Performance is ensured as all guiding arms are pressed evenly and the drafting pressure is maintained between the recommended 2.3 and 2.4 bar.
Figure 2: Guiding arm refurbishment and doffer maintenance kit on ring spinning machine for improved performance.
The doffer maintenance kit delivers the benefits of keeping doffing cycle time consistently low without any intermediate stoppages and always ensuring smooth doffing. To reduce the installation time, the doffer maintenance kit was delivered with pre-assembled parts. The implementation of these two solutions resulted in an increase of 10% in production due to the higher spindle speed and increased machine efficiency.
Figure 3: Impressive increase of machine performance after revision of guiding arm and doffer.
The spindle speed has been enhanced by 1 500 rpm because of the uniform drafting operations without any undrafted roving, without lapping and reduced restarting and running yarn breaks, which leads to raw material savings.
The doffing time has been reduced by around 50% and the restarting yarn breaks by around 80%, resulting in increased machine efficiency (Fig.3). Replacing worn-out and aged parts helped restore the original performance of the ring spinning machines.
This supports customers in optimizing the performance of their operations. It further contributes to the sustainability of spinning mills by extending the lifetime of Rieter machines.
