By Siddique Islam
A two-day long Denim In-Fashion Dhaka trade show (March 2-3) concluded on Thursday last week with a call to ensure eco-sustainable manufacturing practices in making denim products of Bangladesh for attracting global buyers.
Organizers, participants and buyers expressed their satisfaction with the expo, saying that it will help creating a one-stop sourcing platform of the entire denim value chain.
“We want to establish a common platform among producers, buyers and traders through taking part in the expo,” told us Nazibur Rahman, deputy general manager of the Square Denims Limited. “Bangladesh is increasingly becoming a destination for denim sourcing because of the country's well-established ability to supply huge volumes at comparatively lower prices.”
Echoing Mr. Rahman, Farrukh Ahmed, business manager of the Karachi-based Siddiqsons Group said such an expo helps Bangladesh explore new market for apparel and clothing products, particularly denim.
Denimsandjeans.com, a website dedicated to the world denim industry since 2007, organized Denim In-Fashion Dhaka in association with the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), and German state agency GIZ aiming to expand the footprint of denim and denim products made in Bangladesh.
Some denim makers from Bangladesh and India, Pakistan, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, China, Indonesia, Brazil, and Turkey took part in the two-day exhibition.
Talking to Sportswear International, Sandeep Agarwal, the key organizer of the fair, said: “We’ve focused this edition on sustainable denim with highlighting eco-sustainable denim developments, consumer trends and sustainability in its design and accessories.” He also said the exhibition offered the global fashion buyers a one-stop sourcing platform for all aspects of jeanswear.“Bangladesh has become an important part of the global denim market. In fact, the country is uniquely positioned because of its infrastructure, workforce and financial capability,” continues Mr. Agarwal. Price is the advantage of Bangladeshi denim makers that helps them retain the top exporting position in the EU and maintain the third position in the US, he added.
Denimsandjeans.com will arrange its next exhibition that will be held in the capital Dhaka in October this year, according to Mr. Agarwal.
BBN adds: Bangladesh is the world's second largest producer of denim apparel after China, shipping more than 185 million pieces of denim wears across the globe and earning around US$ 600 million each from denim exports.
Currently, 25 denim factories are operating in Bangladesh, who produce around 20 million yards of the fabric every month to meet half of the local demand. The rest is imported. Total investment in the sub-sector stands at US$ 835 million (BDT 65 billion).
Bangladeshi entrepreneurs supply denim to major retailers and brands, including H&M, Uniqlo, Levis, Nike, Tesco, Wrangler, s.Oliver, Hugo Boss, Puma, Primark, JC Penney, C&A, Tommy Hilfiger, Inditex, Walmart, M&S, Calvin Klein, Diesel, Gap, Channel and Dior and G-Star.
BBN/SSR/AD