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Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Faruque Hassan urged the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) to promote Bangladesh as a safe and sustainable clothing sourcing destination among its members.
He also encouraged them to source more clothing, including items other than cotton, from Bangladesh.
Read:BGMEA and USGBC keen to promote green growth in Bangladesh
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan and Vice President Miran Ali recently met with Stephen Lamar, AAFA President and CEO in Washington, and discussed the issues, BGMEA said on Sunday.
Senior officials from AFOA and other organizations also attended the meeting.
They had discussions on various issues including how to improve cooperation between BGMEA and AAFA in order to deepen mutual business engagement and explore areas of future collaboration.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan highlighted the unprecedented progress the Bangladesh RMG industry has made over the years in safety, sustainability and social compliance, which have earned the industry global accolades.
A recent investigative report by Hong Kong-based supply chain compliance solutions provider QIMA ranked Bangladesh’s garment industry second in “ethical manufacturingâ€.
Read: BGMEA and WRAP join forces to expand Bangladesh apparel market
In addition to ensuring workplace safety, Bangladesh is home to the largest number of green clothing factories in the world.
The head of BGMEA highlighted the future prospects of the industry and underlined the importance of upgrading the industry, especially in the areas of improving skills and efficiency, technological upgrading and product diversification, especially non-cotton.
Faruque Hassan praised the investments of AFOA members in these areas, particularly in technical and non-cotton textiles and high-end clothing items.
He urged US brands and buyers to work with their suppliers to strengthen their capabilities in manufacturing the apparel items that have demand in the US market.
Product diversification is very important to ensure sustained growth of the garment industry in Bangladesh.
Read: Remove derogatory comments on ‘Made in Bangladesh’ from French film: BGMEA
The President of BGMEA also explained how the Bangladesh RMG industry has been able to recover by addressing the unprecedented challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He pointed out that production costs have increased while prices have fallen in the US market.
He urged for justified prices and asked for the support of AFOA and its members to be more empathetic towards their supply chain partners in order to make the supply chain sustainable.
AFOA has expressed its willingness to work closely with BGMEA to promote the Bangladesh brand and business interests through their membership.
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