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A Danish company has launched sustainable solutions for the textile industry to produce better quality and long-lasting clothes with plant-based fibres.
Novozymes, a world leader in biological solutions, in cooperation with the Embassy of Denmark in Bangladesh jointly organised the launching event at the Edge Gallery in Dhaka on Sunday.
The solutions can address the challenges the textile industry is facing and save substantial quantity of water, chemicals and energy by reducing textile waste.
The event included a guided tour through various booth stations, presenting consumer and market insights and showcasing Novozymes' new biological concept called 'Livelong'.
After the tour, a panel discussion was arranged on how to make the textile industry in Bangladesh more sustainable with industry experts, key opinion leaders, buyers, brands and other stakeholders focusing on the challenges the textile industry of Bangladesh faces.
Speaking at the event, Danish ambassador in Dhaka Winnie Estrup Petersen lauded the improvement taking place in the country's readymade garment sector.
"Bangladesh plays a vital role in adopting sustainable practices especially in textile and garments industry. I am glad that Novozymes is a partner to Bangladesh in its journey in adopting more sustainable practices," she noted.
Being a country of energy efficiency and environmentally friendly solutions, Denmark is always striving towards technological advancements through research and development, she said, adding that sustainability is not only a word, rather a way of living and sharing with all, for the well-being and future of the world.
"Bangladesh has a lot of challenges, but we are quick learners to adopt innovation. We are a challenge taker as a nation. We are adopting new technology. Novozymes is producing biological solutions which we are using to create more sustainable clothing for our brands and retailers," said DBL group managing director MA Jabbar.
Global clothing production has more than doubled in the last 15 years, but consumers keep clothes for just half the time, making the textile industry one of the most wasteful industries in the world, speakers said.
Consumers are demanding more sustainable solutions and they are willing to pay for it. However, they need help in making the right choice. Consumers are demanding traceability and transparency and they want to be informed, they added.
"All textile manufacturing and brands - even with eco-friendly fibres-have a hefty environmental impact," Novozymes Business Unit Director, Technical Industries, Ethel Fanny Laursen said.
She said brands should seriously consider the opportunity of offering consumers the sustainable choice of longer lasting garments because buying clothes that last longer is one of the best and easiest things that consumers can do to make an eco-friendly choice.
With the changing trend of market and consumers, consumption patterns are changing, said Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association president Dr Rubana Huq.
The next generation is far more conscious about what they are purchasing. They are not just buying the product, they are buying the experiences and want to know which impact their choices have on the environment, she noted.
"We only have one world, one planet. We know that it requires 10,000 litres of water to produce one pair of jeans and one t-shirt. Novozymes can help decrease the amount of water used when producing clothes which is the first step in the right direction, but we need to do more," Denim Expert Ltd managing director and founder of Sustainable Apparel Forum Mostafiz Uddin said.
"Sustainability is not for business or profit, we need to do more for the next generation," he added.