Interview with Thomas Dislich

Thomas Dislich
Director
Vicunha-Europe and Asia

To improve sustainability, one must focus on cotton and water

Vicunha, based in Brazil, is a renowned manufacturer of filaments and fibres, yarns, denim fabrics and twills and ready-made clothing. Thomas Dislich, Director of Vicunha-Europe and Asia talks with Fibre2Fashion.com about the company’s presence in the export markets so far, and if they see any prospects of doing business in India.

Tell us about the company's presence in export markets. How do you foresee the business expanding globally?

Vicunha has been a steady exporter since the 1960s. We have a well-consolidated position in the global market. We shore up our position with good products which reflect our underlying values of sustainable fashion at competitive prices. We have managed to create ranges that span across continents and connect manufacturing with retailers across the world. There are ever-increasing similarities between different parts of the world in their customer's wants and needs. The trick is to find a balance where commercialism meets creativity. After all, the forward thinking product of today becomes the core business of tomorrow. One of our key strengths is our quick service. We are able to provide to both Europe and Asia via our two warehouses-one in Europe and the other in Asia. Our roots are based in years of sustainable production. As this becomes more important to retailers around the world, we have an ideal base. We expect to grow strongly in the next two years due to Brazilian currency devaluation and slowing domestic market.

How green and sustainable is your company's textile and garment production?

We have many years of experience in sustainability, and so have become very well-developed in this area. One of the achievements, we can be proud of, is our recycling system where we recycle to the degree that we create zero landfill. The cotton we use in Brazil is 100 per cent BCI. In fact, we are the largest consumer of BCI cotton in the textile industry.

Please tell us about any initiative that stands out with regards to the performance of the company.

We have numerous initiatives, for example Kaizen, 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle), integrated management system, etc.

What should every government do to improve sustainability in the textile and apparel industry?

They must focus on cotton and water.

Does India figure in your plan of doing business when it comes to textile and apparel?

We aren't focused mainly on India because there are difficult trade barriers to surpass. But we keep watching the markets in India very closely.

What kind of fairs are the most useful for your business? Do they help in achieving your targets?

It is important to participate in key fairs around the world, especially where our warehouse facilities can be best used.

Published on: 20/01/2016

DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.