Apparel makers struggling to cope with changing fashion trend

Al Amin :
Local apparel makers are still struggling hard to cope with the changing fashion trend due to the lack of sufficient bank supports, although the entrepreneurs of the industry hope to elevate their export earnings to $100 billion by 2030, the entrepreneurs said.

They said, that being expensive they were failing to set up factories and to import capital machineries for producing apparel of man-made-fibre (MMF), although the demand for the clothing is increasing globally.

In alignment with such global trend and demand, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is sharply focusing on diversification of the readymade garment (RMG) export basket, especially with an eye on non-cotton items.

And the factories are increasingly focusing on scaling up their capabilities in manufacturing high-end apparels. But, it needs huge local and foreign investment to make production processes more efficient and sustainable.

But, the sector is either failing to attract sufficient foreign investment or getting financial support from the banks amid the slowed economy caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war, the entrepreneurs said.

Md Shahidullah Azim, Vice-President of the BGMEA, told The New Nation, “Apparel exporters in the country need to shift their focus more towards value-added, high-end apparel items like technical apparel as their demand is high in the global market. But, we have been gained a little progress for this in last few years due to the lack of financial support from banks.”

Besides, the entrepreneurs are more cautious to invest at the moment due to the global economic recession, although there is a huge potentiality in the sector, Azim said.

Currently, of the total garment items shipped from Bangladesh, 74 per cent are made

cotton fibre whereas 78 per cent of apparel products sold globally is manufactured using non-cotton items. As a result, Bangladesh is being deprived of better prices.
BGMEA, however, has taken various measures for this. Apart from this, it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI) to collaborate on enhancing capacity of Bangladesh’s readymade garment industry in the areas of product development, especially in manufacturing high-end products made of MMF.

It also helps to foster collaboration on building capacity of the industry through sharing knowledge and expertise in technology adaptation, skills development, innovation, resource efficiency and circularity, BGMEA sources said.

Another objective of the understanding is to promote direct or joint venture investments from Taiwan to Bangladesh in non-cotton textiles, high end garment items, technical textile, woven textile and garment, skills development and innovation.

Taiwan Textile Research Institute have around 100 researchers working under that umbrella who can support Bangladesh’s apparel industry to understand the future need of the industry and make a plan for next 15 years roadmap to improve its capacity, capability in terms of product developments and other areas.

According to Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), the import of MMF like polyester staple, viscose and tencel is on the rise following the rising demand amid changes in the global fashion trend.

Some 0.15 million tonnes of MMF were imported in the last fiscal year while about 50 local millers partially produced such items.