Textile and apparel (T&A) industry leaders, chemical suppliers/experts, and brands unanimously agreed that collaboration is key to achieve fashion sustainability. They opined it at the ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) South Asia Stakeholder Event in Bangladesh held on 15th May at Le Meridien Hotel, Dhaka.

With the theme ‘Building a Culture of Sustainable Chemical Management in the Fashion Industry’ the insightful day-long event comprised of presentations and panel discussions from industry experts, offered textile and apparel industry experts a unique opportunity to share their best practices, and explore innovative solutions for sustainable chemical management in the fashion industry.

Special Dignitary of the event, Engr. Md. Shafiqur Rahman, President, the Institution of Textile Engineers & Technologists (ITET) and Managing Director, HAMS Group said, “The planet is enduring severe damage from the reckless disposal of industrial waste, with the fashion industry being a major contributor. It's imperative that we move to sustainable practices in textile chemistry. As the fashion industry operates on a global scale with a complex supply chain involving numerous stakeholders, collaboration is essential for achieving sustainability in this sector.”

“I extend my gratitude to ZDHC for convening all the stakeholders at this seminar. Events like these are crucial for raising awareness throughout the fashion supply chain,” he said.

Emphasizing the essential role of brands and retailers in the sustainability movement, he stated, “I thank the leading fashion brands for setting and pursuing sustainability targets. These initiatives are driving positive transformations among all stakeholders.”

“Together, we will create a more livable earth,” he concluded.

Md. Amanur Rahman, Convener, Bangladesh Chemical & Dyestuff Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BCDMEA) and Managing Director, Dysin Group – a Special Dignitary of the Stakeholder event -- said, “The industry's stakeholders are gradually transforming, fostering the emergence of a sustainable culture. Developing a comprehensive, 360° holistic approach is essential. A critical component of this strategy is enhancing local chemical production to reduce inventory. In Bangladesh, BCDMEA is assisting manufacturers in establishing local plants.”

"Yes, there are challenges, but BCDMEA is actively engaging in dialogue with the government to develop supportive policies,” he added.

At the event, the ZDHC team shared the latest updates on the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme to understand ZDHC Brands' expectations from their suppliers and learn from the industry experts about their best and unique chemical management implementation experiences through a panel discussion and presentations.

Prasad Pant, South Asia Director and Competence Centres Director, ZDHC said, “Fashion stakeholders are always calculating the cost of compliance. But no one is talking about the irreversible cost of non-compliance.”

He stated that ultimately, adopting sustainable practices will lead to cost savings for the textile industry.

Highlighting ZDHC’s sustainable chemical management motto, Prasad Pant said, “ZDHC is all about input chemical management. Instead of being concerned about what is going out, we control the input chemical management. This is where ZDHC MRSL’s role comes in.”

In a video message, Lydia Lin, ZDHC Foundation-Asia Director said, “Sustainable chemical management is a must. Thus, collaboration among the fashion industry’s stakeholders is binding. This seminar will undoubtedly inspire more brands and factories to join.”

Saket Kulkarni, Implementation Manager-South Asia, ZDHC Foundation gave a presentation on ‘How should a supplier implement the ZDHC RtZ Programme?

In the panel discussion titled ‘How can Brands build a culture of sustainable chemical management in their supply chain?’ leading brand representatives from H&M, M&S and JCPenney highlighted their commitments towards green manufacturing and collaboration with manufacturers for a sustainable future.

AKM Foysal, Environment Program Specialist, H&M Group said, “H&M is committed to providing safe products to consumers. However, EU fashion laws are driving industry-wide transformation. To comply with these regulations, H&M is collaborating with partners and stakeholders and training its suppliers to increase awareness throughout the supply chain.”

Foysal praised the country's garment factories, noting, "Bangladeshi RMG factories are increasingly taking ownership in implementing sustainable innovation practices."

Himadri Shekhar Sarker, M&S said, “Nobody can implement sustainability alone. We need unified action to implement sustainable chemical management in their supply chain. At M&S, we are collaborating regionally. More importantly, we are involved in various ZDHC programs to create a meaningful change.”

Yead Arefin, Senior Sustainability Specialist Environment, JCPenney said, “The main motto of JCPenney is that we give ownership to our garment suppliers. We are as good as our suppliers.”

“We are also working to implement new chemical standards in the manufacturing process and encouraging safer chemical alternatives guided by the ZDHC’s MRSL.”

In the panel discussion titled ‘Building a culture of sustainable chemistry innovations in chemical manufacturing,’ leading textile chemical suppliers from– Fineotex Chemical, Apna Organics, Jay Chemicals, Dysin Chem and Proklean highlighted their commitment to building a sustainable chemistry innovations culture.

Arindam Choudhuri, CEO, FCL said, “Fineotex is a leading sustainable chemical manufacturer, driven by robust R&D efforts to excel in the chemical industry. For example, as Bangladesh’s textile industry faces an energy crisis, FCL offers low-temperature solutions.”

"The local textile sector has also encountered numerous issues with bond facilities. To streamline chemical imports and avoid complications, FCL supplies concentrated chemicals, which also reduces costs," explained Arindam Choudhuri.

Shivam Saraf, Director, Apna Organics said, “Apna Organics has earned a reputation as a 'legacy of quality.' Known for its exclusive sustainable identity in the textile and apparel industry, Apna Organics Pvt Ltd boasts ZDHC LEVEL 3 certifications for over 100 products, reinforcing its credibility.”

Ritesh Shinde, Sales Manager for Bangladesh at Jay Chemicals, highlighted the company's global reputation, attributing it to a strong focus on sustainable chemical manufacturing, R&D, consistent quality, and excellent customer service.

Karthikeyan KS, CEO, Proklean Technologies stressed Proklean’s probiotic solutions: a sustainable alternative for Bangladesh’s textile industry.

Imtiaz Uddin Topu, General Manager of Fabrics at HAMS Group, shared their best practices in chemical management, stating, “At HAMS, we consistently align with global laws and regulations. Our sustainable initiatives include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing water usage, and implementing a 1.5MW rooftop solar project.”

Mohammed Al Tauhidul Islam, Assistant General Manager and Head of Sustainability at Envoy Textile Ltd. stated, “As the first LEED Platinum certified denim fabric manufacturer, Envoy is proud of its sustainable identity. Our state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities have earned us nine national and international awards. We adhere to international standards for all types of textile sustainability practices, and continuous innovation in our R&D center sets our product range and quality apart from others. Additionally, we partner with many leading global brands and have been a ZDHC Signatory since 2019."

Mariella Noto, Senior Implementation Manager at the ZDHC Foundation, delivered a video presentation on ‘Expanding the ZDHC Culture through Collaborations in Capacity Building and Training.’

Later in the event, Wakil Hossain, Senior Program Manager (Sustainability Services) of TÜV Rheinland Bangladesh, presented on ‘Understanding the Impacts of Upcoming Legislation for the Apparel and Textile Industry.’

In the second panel discussion, titled ‘How Can Solution Providers Strengthen the Culture of SCM in the Textile and Leather Value Chain?’ industry stakeholders including Prasad Pant, South Asia Director and Competence Centres Director, ZDHC; Johny Yasmin Kanta, General Manager at Hohenstein; Raffaella Santoro, Director of Global Strategic Solutions for Softlines at TÜV SÜD; and Shameem Hossain, Sustainability Project Manager at UL Solutions, participated.

Fineotex Chemical Ltd. (FCL) was the event’s Platinum Partner, while Apna Organics Pvt. Ltd., Dysin Group, and Jay Chemical were the Gold Partners, and TÜV SÜD and Hohenstein were the Silver Partners. Bangladesh Textile Today served as the Event Partner. Around 400 participants including textile industry leaders, chemical suppliers/experts, and brand representatives attended the seminar.