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Due to the considerable greenhouse gas and carbon emissions caused by the production of garments and accessories, the global fashion industry has a significant negative influence on the environment.
Nearly 20% of wastewater and 8 to 10% of global carbon emissions are generated by the fashion sector.
Sustainability is therefore fundamental to business in the apparel sector. Due to the effects of climate change and global warming, manufacturers and brands are making significant efforts to lessen their negative effects on the environment and the welfare of their workforce.
Sustainability in the manufacturing sector entails increasing energy efficiency, minimizing the use of natural resources, and placing a strong emphasis on preventing pollution, upholding workers' rights, and creating green jobs for a higher quality of life.
What makes sustainability important?
Since the clothing sector is one of the main employers in Bangladesh and accounts for more than 82% of the country's export revenue, sustainability in the sector is essential.
With $42.61 billion in revenue, Bangladesh is the second-largest exporter of garments behind China.
Due to the use of dangerous chemicals in industrial processes, water consumption, and environmental contamination, environmental sustainability has become a critical concern in the RMG sector.
However, Bangladesh has improved recently as industry professionals set up "green factories," or enterprises that have received eco-friendly certification. Bangladesh has the greatest and most green factories overall.
A significant obstacle to sustainability in the RMG sector is also the excessive use of water, electricity, and other natural resources. The industry uses a lot of water, which causes shortages and depletion in many locations.
In the meanwhile, the US and the EU will practice green due diligence and concentrate on further reducing carbon emissions. Since they import more than 70% of the clothes produced in Bangladesh, these two locations are crucial for the country.
Peter D. Haas, the US ambassador to Bangladesh, said, "So let's ask ourselves, what sustainability looks like within the textile and apparel supply chain." He said so while delivering a speech at the Sustainable Apparel Forum that was recently held in Dhaka.
First, according to Peter, we are aware that a sustainable RMG industry requires all parties involved in the supply chain, including the public and commercial sectors, labor unions, and consumers.
According to the envoy, all participants in the RMG ecosystem have a vital role to play in enhancing worker safety, labor rights, ethical sourcing, and environmental protections so that the sector is supported by ethical business practices and experiences sustainable growth.
By proactively preparing for the future, including the effects of climate change and the fourth industrial revolution, we may also consider how to hasten the sustainability of Bangladesh's apparel industry, he continued.
The textile industry represents the lifeblood of economic relations between the European Union and Bangladesh, according to Charles Whiteley, head of the EU delegation in Bangladesh. Exports to the EU increased from $3 billion euros in 2002 to $24 billion euros last year.
The recipe must now change to accommodate global demands, which is the new environmental, political, and consumer reality for the EU.
The problems of the transition to a greener economy should be faced by Bangladesh, he continued.
The world has set a goal of reducing carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 in order to keep global warming to 1.5°C, and Bangladesh is the second-largest exporter of garment products, according to Mostafiz Uddin.
The protection of workers' rights is essential to sustainability
The garment business cannot be sustained if workers' rights are not respected, as they make up the majority of the industry. It is necessary for the industry.
"Strong labor rights, including the rights of workers to form and join independent trade unions and collectively bargain for better working conditions, must go hand-in-hand with sustainable economic growth in the garment sector and beyond," added Peter.
Bangladesh and its partners will also need to climb up the value chain by exporting more value-added items that bring in greater prices for Bangladesh's garment exports if they want to maintain the garment industry. These objectives can be met with the aid of robust labor protections, he continued.
The chairman of the EU mission, on the other hand, emphasized the need for an action plan to protect workers' rights and the environment.
Bangladesh leads the way with its green factories
With 192 LEED-certified green factories, Bangladesh currently has the most green factories overall according to the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
Additionally, Bangladesh is home to 53 of the top 100 greenest garment factories in the world. There are 550 other factories that are waiting to be certified. Additionally, BGMEA was the first association to ever win the USGBC Leadership Award in 2021.
In the meantime, BGMEA has updated its mission to reflect ESG priorities. We have implemented a number of activities under its sustainability vision 2030 to hasten the green revolution.
The duty of customers and businesses
All parties involved in the apparel sector must collaborate toward a similar objective and from their specialized areas in order to make it viable.
Faruque Hassan, who is also the Managing Director of Giant group, stated that the fashion industry needs to come to an agreement on a worldwide consistent approach to purchasing processes and due diligence otherwise it will be too difficult for the suppliers to comply with thousands of various structures.
To make the transition to responsible business easier, the decision-makers on both the supplier and consumer sides should support policies that encourage more socially inclusive company practices.
Given their importance to the industry, international fashion brands and retailers are required to use ethical purchasing procedures and pay their suppliers a fair price. According to Mohammad Hatem, executive president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), this will ensure that the workers receive higher wages.
It shouldn't be limited to the manufacturer's level for ethical business practices and sustainable trade. Because manufacturers are a component of the supply chain and since each person in the supply chain has a certain job to play, he continued.
According to Delphine Williot, policy and research coordinator for Fashion Revolution, "one of the holes in the present pieces of law is that it doesn't address the volume of apparel being manufactured or how companies are hurting the livelihoods of people in their supply chain. Additionally, she cited "clear lack of transparency in the industry."
"On the one hand, there are brands that encourage consumption by convincing customers that they are purchasing sustainable goods. On the other hand, we examined brands, and only 30% of them identified a methodology for what constitutes a sustainable material.
We have the chance to make sure that the promises made by brands are supported by legislation. Brands will be compelled to trace their supply networks and gather supplier data.
Bangladeshi suppliers need additional assistance from the developed economy in terms of product and fiber diversification, innovation, technological advancement, and reskilling and upskilling their workforce in order to make the sector sustainable.
All of their's esteemed stakeholders must help us if they are to make this center more active and beneficial. In order to provide more fair jobs and create a resilient and sustainable fashion business, please step forward, collaborate, and exchange knowledge and expertise, stated industry representatives.
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