Interview with Mostafiz Uddin

Bangladesh, the second largest readymade garment (RMG) exporter in the world, is also an emerging player in the international denim market. The growing global demand for denim has created new opportunities in the country. At present, the size of the global denim industry is around $56 billion, which is expected to reach around $64 billion in sales by 2020. Currently, Bangladesh holds a 22.88 per cent market share in the European Union (EU) and 11.35 per cent in the United States (US) markets, especially in the jeans category, in 2015. Bangladesh is the largest denim and denim-related products exporter to the EU and second largest to the US.

The Bangladesh Denim Expo has created vibes among denim manufactures and buyers-both locally and internationally. So far, four editions of the expo have taken place, with the aim to showcase Bangladesh's capacity and strengths in denim production and explore potential for further growth of the industry. Exclusive to authorised trade visitors, the expo acts as a hub for players on the international denim scene to interact with colleagues, make new contacts and broker deals. A total of 49 exhibitors from 13 countries showcased their products.

Bangladesh has emerged as a promising hub for denim production in the international market. Now, our target is to increase the share in the global market. However, it is a challenge for the local denim fabric production to meet the demand. We are placing a lot of emphasis on local production to make our denim industry stronger. The industry in Bangladesh has 26 denim mills. The monthly production capacity stands at 30 million yards, while the actual demand reaches nearly 60 million yards. So, we have to address this gap by boosting local production capacity. To meet the growing demand for denim fabrics, local mills are investing in imported state-of-the-art machinery, especially when it comes to weaving and processing. Another challenge is to integrate sustainability into denim production, because we have a responsibility towards protecting the environment in which we live and operate. All products should be made in a caring and responsible way that preserves the environment for future generations. Our local mills are aware of it, and have been making efforts to better environmental performance. For example, earlier it took us around 250 litres of water to produce 1 metre fabric. But now, we have been able to reduce the amount to 50-60 litres through the adoption of green technologies and practices.

There are good prospects for local denim brands to grow and step into the international denim landscape. I myself export my own branded jeans named 'Blue X Only'. As the expo serves as a perfect platform for local manufacturesr to contact international buyers and denim experts and share and gather knowledge in the field, I think the show will encourage them to create native denim brands for an international market.

Being up-to-date with the latest technologies is a must to keep pace with the international market. Keeping that in mind, we had 'Trendzone' in the expo to introduce manufacturers to the latest developments in denim. The zone helped them discover a trend-driven selection of fabrics and products. The expo also focused on the latest washes, bleaches, weaves and finishes of denim. Besides, we brought together global denim experts to present knowledge on different technologies in denim production. In the last edition of the expo, the global leader in garment finishing technologies, Tonello presented its revolutionary new finishing technologies. Jeanologia talked about its new 3D finishes and eco-technologies.