Bangladesh Denim Expo, an international exposition dedicated to promoting Bangladesh’s denim and demonstrating Bangladesh’s power and potential in denim manufacture, has reopened its doors after a two-year break due to the Covid 19 doldrums. The Bangladesh Denim Expo was conceived as a gathering place for all those who matter in the denim business to come together and bond over the common thread of denim. On the 10th and 11th of May 2022, the 12th edition of Bangladesh Denim Expo, a worldwide exposition of denim products, took place at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in Dhaka.
“During this moment, Bangladesh stands first in exporting denim to Europe and the United States,” Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam said at the opening ceremony. “This year, we will top $42 bn export revenues from the garment business.”
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association President Faruque Hassan said, we are not targeting that we will be producing 100 percent fabric locally but we think that the sector will grow because of the new technologies are brought in and we can capture the market demand. “We are now aiming to make the industry more financially viable and productive.” he said.
The two-day Bangladesh Denim Expo, organized by Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE), ended successfully where buyers, makers (both denim fabric and accessories), and sellers satisfied as large crowds of visitors flocked to the exhibitor stalls to see innovative, fashionable, and sustainable denim items.
According to Mostafiz Uddin, the creator of the Bangladesh Denim Exhibition and Managing Director of Denim Expert Limited, Bangladesh Denim Expo’s mission is to turn Bangladesh into a sourcing hub by bringing multinational companies together, opening up new commercial frontiers and expanding corporate prospects for the entire denim value chain, and improving the country’s image around the world.
This year, the expo had 80 exhibitors from 15 nations, including both local and foreign participants. The two-day expo drew over 6,000 people, demonstrating that there is unparalleled global demand for Bangladeshi jeans and denim items from new and existing exhibitors, said Mostafiz.
This expo helps to promote Bangladesh and grow enterprises, he said, noting that Bangladesh’s denim exports to the US market were $426 mn in 2014, rising to $798 mn by 2021. In 2021, exports to the European Union were $1.18 bn, up from $939 mn in 2014, explained Mostafiz. Since 2014, the Bangladesh Denim Expo has been the driving force behind the denim industry’s expansion in Bangladesh, said Mostafiz.
When asked about his reaction to the exhibition, he stated, “The repercussions of the participants were beyond my expectation.” It was the most successful expo to date because it took place after a two-year break because of the Covid 19 pandemic, according to Mostafiz.
Mohiuddin Rubel, Managing Director of the Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) said, “When we first established the exhibition in 2014, getting someone to come to the expo through the registration procedure was a major hurdle. People are now excited to visit and attend the expo.” Explaining the goal and objective of this expo, Rubel explained and said, “The goal of this expo is not to acquire and sell products; instead, we want to develop the industry and acquaintance people to new innovation and technology,”
The exhibition, according to the exhibitors that attended, serves to develop a networking structure among buyers, customers, and producers, which exacerbates future business expansion. The Expo had 80 exhibitors from across the world, and it drew the largest number of international attendees of any clothing event in Bangladesh. The participants showcased their latest fabrics, garments, threads, machinery, finishing equipment, and accessories at the expo. At this moment Bangladesh is world’s number one supplier of denim to Europe and the United States.
Explaining the turbulence during the pandemic period, Mostafiz Uddin said: “The world is a slightly different place since the last edition of this show, which took place two years ago. Denim supply chains have experienced major turbulence and disruption and have been forced to innovate and adapt in order to survive and remain relevant,” “Our show will act as a lightning rod on these issues, bringing together some of the most progressive, forward-thinking denim manufacturers in the world to showcase new thinking and the latest technical innovations which are driving our industry forward,” he opined. “To be able to sustain this export growth, we first need the correct government policy, which the government has been providing since the beginning, port infrastructure facilities, and policy support,” said Mostafiz.
The theme of this year’s show was “Beyond Business,” a topic that highlighted the next steps for industry leaders in achieving success while providing long-term solutions.
The two-day mega exposition showed global brands and merchants, as well as Bangladeshi manufacturers, the latest denim trends. It featured eight exhibitor-led lecture sessions and two-panel discussions, all of which reflected the Expo’s overall sustainability focus.
The Expo intended to foster debate and interaction among exhibitors and visitors through a series of product exhibits, seminar sessions, and panel discussions.
Sector experts spoke about how the denim industry may improve, not just from an economic stand point, but also in terms of the social and environmental implications of their operations, as well as the objectives that entrepreneurs should pursue.
Experts in the denim business discussed how the industry may develop not only economically, but also in terms of the social and environmental ramifications of its operations, as well as the goals that entrepreneurs should pursue.
The Bangladesh Denim Expo has established itself as a highly anticipated event on the calendar of international denim, allowing new business partnerships to be formed and informing the local and worldwide denim community about the country’s diverse sustainable denim production options
