Bangladesh Industry Takes a Crash Course on Recycling Innovation
Textile circularity is gaining momentum.
After stopping in New Delhi to make a major announcement with the Restart Alliance to work toward circularity and recycling in India, Fashion for Good began a two-day engagement with the textile industry in Bangladesh last week to talk disruptive technology and chemical recycling.
More from Sourcing Journal
Along with the Dhaka-based Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE), Fashion for Good emphasized the importance of circularity using “disruptive innovations.” Bangladesh was part of a larger initiative “Chemical Recycling Technologies: Manufacturing Markets Gateway” that was set up across multiple countries to bring recyclers to key markets to interact, engage and in future partner with the local industry.
“We want to bring innovations to the supply chain and Bangladesh is an important space for this,” Priyanka Khanna, Innovation Director – Scaling, Fashion for Good, told Sourcing Journal. “Earlier this year we worked with Ananta BD and facilitated their partnership with our innovator NTX, we built a partnership with Bangladesh Apparel Exchange, strengthening our support and presence in Bangladesh. They gave us access to the key industry players. Now, we look to engage further with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and other key suppliers in the coming year to bring innovations to scale here.”
Reverse Resources and BGMEA hosted a meet and greet to boost awareness about the technologies in the industry and ways to integrate these into the local manufacturing landscape, secure feedstock partnerships and develop a value chain for recycled apparel materials.
“It’s not just an event; it’s part of a larger movement to incorporate innovative recycling, sustainable fashion technologies and establish global partnerships for a sustainable fashion industry,” said Mostafiz Uddin, founder and ceo, BAE. “Bangladesh has the biggest manufacturing sector in South Asia and this tour marks a critical step toward a circular fashion ecosystem.”
Denim Asia Limited, Knit Asia Limited and Progress Apparels Limited, were some of the other companies that came forward, sharing their own innovative measures so far, and looking for ways to add more.
Azizur Chowdhury, director, Knit Asia Ltd. whose factory the team visited, told Sourcing Journal that new learnings were key to the way forward. Their platinum Leed certified factory in Gazipur, a suburb of Dhaka is rated as the third highest rated green factory, and the company works with brands and retailers including Ralph Lauren, Decathlon, Kohl’s and American Eagle, among others. “Although we have been working with mechanical recycling over the last year, we feel that chemical recycling is a vital addition. This was an important communication for finding the way forward,” he said.
He described the process developed over the past year to scale up mechanical recycling. “We are a composite factory in that we make our own yarn, knit and dye the fabric. After it goes on the cutting table, 25 to 30 percent of the fabric that goes into scrap form is shredded and made into fiber again.” This is mixed with virgin fiber and spun again, often not needing to be dyed again—as the shades it carries often create a mélange that works.
“Where we get stuck is when the fabric has a mixed composition, for which we need to look at both R&D and more investment in chemical recycling for composite materials. We realized staying with the status quo is not what we want—we’re investing in a lot of innovation and recycling and are ready to be a first mover in this segmen,” he said.
Progress Apparels Ltd., part of PDS Limited, has also been scaling its sustainability focus, and was one of the factories visited. Paul Wright, head of ESG at PDS globally, said, “There were lots of issues to understand and look ahead to, including the access to feedstock, the barriers around current legislation and the laws of each country— as well as changes that need to be made to support these new technologies. It’s almost like a new business sector. There was a lot of listening going on, from both sides, which is quite powerful,” he said.
“I think the manufacturers are one step removed—the brands and the retailers are quite aware about what’s coming, so the visit got the manufacturing community excited and thinking more about what to do with waste, and thinking about the answers for a possible tomorrow, as well. We’re almost at that tipping point, and we need to create an ecosystem where waste is perceived as a value commodity,” he said.
Progress Apparel was the first company in Bangladesh to have won a $1 million round of funding from the Good Fashion Fund in June, to support the company’s investment in a modern in-house washing plant at the factory’s Adamjee EPZ location in Dhaka.
The Good Fashion Fund initiated by Fashion for Good, the Amsterdam based global platform for innovation, is a collaboration between Laudes Foundation, The Mills Fabrica, and FOUNT.eu complemented by Rabobank.
The washing plant is being equipped with state-of-the-art washing, drying and hydro machinery selected for its efficient use of water and chemicals.
“This partnership demonstrates that sustainability can go hand-in-hand with economic savings and that it is essential towards transforming the apparel supply chain,” said Bob Assenberg, Fund director, Good Fashion Fund.
Bangladesh, which is the second largest garment exporter in the world, has also been looking at ways to mitigate and support climate priorities, and this week, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced a $400 million loan to Bangladesh to support climate priorities. With apparel manufacturing as the country’s largest export, the sector is being pressed to step up on the goals listed by the bank.
“As the region’s climate bank, ADB is committed to support Bangladesh’s progressive actions to strengthen its climate resilience, transition to a low-carbon economy, mitigate its greenhouse gas emissions, and mainstream gender equality and social inclusion in the government’s climate actions,’ said Edimon Ginting, country director, ADB.
