Bangladesh’s apparel factories have come a long way from the shoddy state they were in five years ago during the deadly Rana Plaza collapse. Now, the nation boasts of having among the most exemplary line of compliant factories around the globe.
Above all, among some 280 green factories in Bangladesh, there are 67 certified by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), among which several are Platinum rated; recognised for best practices in design, construction, and operations that protect the environment and human health. As it goes, at present, among the top 10 green factories in the world, 7 are of Bangladesh origin.
Here’s Apparel Resources’ take on the leading factories which have been spearheading the green revolution. The list of green factories has been obtained from the research division of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
1) Genesis Washing Ltd.
Genesis Washing Ltd. is a backward linkage unit of M & J Group, one of the biggest apparel manufacturers of Bangladesh, providing high quality garments to the leading fashion brands like Replay, H&M, New Corker, C & A, Esprit, GAP, Old Navy, and Macy’s in Europe, USA, Asian, and Canadian markets.
It is one of the 6 sister concerns of M & J Group that secured LEED Platinum certification on April 27, 2018. The facility provides the service of a variety of stone, bleach and sand wash, along with different types of dyeing. It also offers various styling special effects including Foam Effect, Resin Treatment and Curing.
2) AR Jeans Producer Ltd.
This Platinum rated jeans manufacturing company which received certification on March 13, 2018, is one of Fashion Globe Group’s 10 sister concerns, located in Ashulia, some 20km off capital Dhaka. It has some impressive engineering design including a rain-water harvesting system; and produces denim items for popular brands like Pepe Jeans, Pull & Bear, Bershka, Springfield, and Alcott.
With 18 manufacturing lines and a daily production capacity of 18,000 pieces of garments, the factory promises delivery of long pants, short pants, ladies wear, children’s item and jackets made from denim, twill, and knitted denim.
3) Tarasima Apparels Ltd.
Established in 2005, Tarasima Apparels is a garment business front of the Bitopi Group located in Manikganj. The factory received Platinum certification on Jul 8, 2016 and specialises in Denim and Non-Denim bottoms with a production capacity of approximately 1.2 million pieces every month.
Recipient of several awards, the factory has been catering to H&M, Zara, Benetton, Pepe Jeans, Kmart, Walmart, Matalan, Bershka and several other fast fashion and apparel retailers. The factory boasts of a team-oriented approach with a global outlook and is prepared to anticipate the changing fashion industry. It has tried to grow design (made locally and also sourced from overseas), development and production under one very capable roof.
4) Kaniz Fashions Ltd.
This Platinum rated manufacturer and exporter of readymade garments was established in 1998. Currently, it caters to the demand of trousers, shirts, and blouses for men, women, and children with a discipline of woven fabric and denim. It received certification on October 12, 2017.
Owned by QA Group, the factory has 16 production lines with the capacity of 7.5 million pieces of trousers per annum and 10 million pieces of blouses or shirts per annum. It caters to the fast fashion industry of H&M, C&A, Tema, lnditex, Ash City, and Charles Vogele.
5) Echotex Limited
A leading Bangladesh vertical setup with facilities for knitting, dyeing, digital and screen printing, laundry and garmenting, this Platinum rated industry which received certification on March 13, 2017, was founded in 2001. It promises diversity, quality fabrics and materials, skilled craftsmanship, and on-time deliveries of 3.5 million garment units per month.
It holds automated cutters and spreaders to support 150,000 units/day, producing all sorts of jersey garments including ladies, men’s and children’s fashion tops, bottoms printed tees, joggers, and hoodies. With an annual turnover of US $ 100 million, it caters to fashion industries of H&M, Fatface, Debenhams, Inditex, and Primark.
6) Columbia Washing Plant Ltd.
Columbia Washing Plant Ltd is another one backed by M J Group. Located in Gazipur, it is one of the 6 sister concerns of M & J Group that secured LEED Platinum certification on November 23, 2016. It provides the service of a variety of stone, bleach and sand wash, along with different types of dyeing. It also offers various styling special effects including Foam Effect and Resin Treatment and Curing.
7) Genesis Fashions Ltd.
Yet another of M & J Group, this Platinum rated woven unit received certification on September 26, 2016. The factory is located in Gazipur. It’s Managing Director Tarique Ahmed says commitment and quality are always held up in his factory.
8) Remi Holdings Ltd.
Starting operations in August 2015, this Platinum rated unit of Bitopi Group is located in Adamjee EPZ, Naryanganj. It is the highest rated LEED platinum green factory in the country, with zero wastage in production. Remi boasts of being the No. 1 green factory that represents Bangladesh in front of the whole world.
Holding the Platinum rating since July 15, 2016, Remi produces bottoms at a production capacity of about 450,000 pieces per month. This factory caters to the fashion brands H&M, Zara, Kmart, Walmart, Bershka, Primark, and Matalan.
9) SQ Birichina Ltd.
Established in 2008, SQ Birichina Ltd. or Birichina which is ‘naughty’ in Italian, offers highly distinguished intimate wear applying latest technology, like seam-free bonded products, ultrasonic laser cut application with exquisite quality and design.
“Producing quality lingerie with sophistication and innovation is the goal of SQ Birchina”, says its Chairman M. Ghulam Faruk. According to him, the green facelift of his industry is the reflection of both the business’ responsibility towards environment and the commitment of brand quality to the buyers. “Here at SQ Group, we try to do things differently. We believe in selling services, not products,” he tells Apparel Resources.
10) SQ ColBlanc Limited
Yet another of the SQ Group, ColBlanc’s factory is located in Mymensingh’s Valuka. It is a woven unit producing quality garments with the capacity of 1.8 million units per month. Its prime products are shirts and pants for men, women, and children. This factory achieved the Platinum certification May 10, 2016.
11) SQ Celsius Ltd.
This was the foundation business of SQ Group and still forms its core business. Set up in 2002, the facility is regarded as most preferred supplier to renowned high-end retailers. Celsius currently operates 1,200 semi-auto and manual knitting machines, producing about 450,000 pieces of apparel items per month.
Its knitwear product ranges from coarser to finer, acrylic to cashmere, yarn dyed to piece dyed and from kids to adults. With backward service integration, Celsius offers the flexibility in delivery from one month to four months’ cycles.
12) Envoy Textiles Ltd.
Owned by Envoy Group, a 40-business enterprise-owning company with an annual turnover of USD $ 400 million and a workforce of approximately 21,000, Envoy Textiles Ltd. received Platinum certification on March 31, 2016. Its prime product is Denim.
With a production capacity of 48 million yards per annum, it can provide both basic and premium Denims in a variety of shades and cast basic indigos and sulphur topping or bottoming in 100 per cent cotton and a variety of blends. It supplies Denim to premium brands like Walmart, Next, Zara, H&M, Belk, and Kohl’s.
13) Vintage Denim Studio Ltd.
Owned by ABA Group, Vintage Denim Studio is located in Pabna’s Pakshy and was Platinum certified on May 30, 2012. This woven unit has an annual production capacity of 1 million units of denim trousers, tops and jackets for men, women and children. The group offers value added concerns including apparel wet processing, laundry services, packaging, denim embroidery and printing. The group has five other factories, all of which are LEED certified- Vintage Denim Apparels Ltd., ABA Fashions, Vintage Denim Ltd., Pimkie Apparels Ltd. and Apparel Wet Processing.
14) Plummy Fashions Ltd.
Is a 21-line facility set spectacularly amidst 5.5 acres of verdant and landscaped greenery in Narayanganj just 20 kilometers off the capital city of Dhaka with production capacity of one million pieces per month.
“It’s an honour to be a trendsetter in the industry. After Plummy, many new and old players have made/turned their factories into world-class green facilities and I am very happy to be the initiator of this cause amongst the apparel makers,” underlined Md. Fazlul Hoque, Managing Director of Plummy Fashions Limited (PFL) speaking to Apparel Resources. Plummy Fashions is reportedly the highest-ranked green knitwear facility globally.
