Global and local business experts recently urged for an effective collaboration between the global apparel manufacturers and buyers for a successful transformation of the industry towards sustainability. At the 37th World Fashion Convention 2022 organised by the International Apparel Federation at the Radisson Blu Dhaka, they said that without adopting sustainable technology apparel exports to the European Union would be affected after 2030 due to the EU Green Deal.
Dirk Vantyghem, Director General of EURATEX, the European Apparel and Textile Confederation, said that the new strategy of the EU had set out the vision and concrete actions to ensure that by 2030 textile products placed on the EU market would be long-lived and recyclable, made as much as possible of recycled fibres, free of hazardous substances and produced in respect of social rights and the environment. Dirk urged all to work together to build a global sustainable textile and fashion industry.
International Apparel Federation President Cem Atlan said that a true collaboration between the apparel buyers and manufacturers could address the major challenges the global clothing industry was facing and bring successful transformation in its supply chain.
The IAF President said that apparel makers felt the squeeze from higher costs and lower demands while new rounds of order cancellation, full warehouses and big discounts show the ineffectiveness of the global textile and clothing industry.
‘We realise we need to come together as an industry to solve our problems. The major challenges of our industry today can only be realistically met when there is true collaboration between buyers and manufacturers,’ Atlan said.
‘To deal with the sustainability issue, we need to take several strategies where one of the crucial strategies is improving efficiency through technological innovation. For that, we need to focus on skills development and adoption with the 4IR.’ Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association President Faruque Hassain said.
He said that the industry had undergone a massive transformation to ensure workplace safety, workers well-being and sustainability in the past one decade.
Abdullah Al Maher, Chief Executive Officer of Asrotex Group, said that the supply chain situation had been immense and harder than the Covid period. He said that manufacturers were being requested to delay shipments, accommodate the changes and so on.
Roger Hubert, Managing Director of the RMG Sustainability Council, said that the way of doing business should be changed for creating better supply chains.
