Md. Fazlul Hoque, Managing Director, Plummy Fashions Ltd. has the versatile experience for more than 20 years in the Knitwear industry. He was the president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Exporters’ Association (BKMEA) for 6 years and was also the President of Bangladesh Employers Federation (BEF) and Director of the International Apparel Federation (IAF). In these roles Mr. Fazlul travelled extensively and has developed a strong understanding of the requirements of major markets and customers. Textile Focus editor M A Islam Riyadh talked with Md. Fazul Hoque in different industry related issues. Some of the key discussion points are mentioned bellow for our readers.
Textile Focus: What is your motivation to develop a green industry?
Fazlul Houqe: Bangladesh has the potentials to move faster in textile garments industry. Some incidents in last couple of year i.e Rana Plaza, Tazreen Fashion issues hearted me a lot. I found we are in better position in this sector except such accidental cases. Moreover there were a regular pressure from buyers to improve the compliance relates issues. That’s why I thought in a different angle and found green industry can be set up and I started working on that. Now it’s a milestone as the world’s highest rated green knitwear factory.
Textile Focus: What do you think about the overall textile industry of Bangladesh?
Fazlul Houqe: Bangladesh textile industry has a history and it is now in a mature position. What we need to do is to focus on the vision with highest efforts. We need to develop our infrastructure. Energy supply should be sufficient. It may take time but the way we are moving forward the total industry will be changed in near future.
Textile Focus: How did you meet the requirement for LEED certification?
Fazlul Hoque: In September’ 2015 Plummy Fashions earned LEED Platinum certificate from United States Green Building Council (USGBC) with world record breaking score of 92 which made Plummy as the most environment friendly or greenest factory in the world. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is a rating system that reviews a factory’s green initiatives such as site development, energy and water conservation, materials selection and indoor environmental conditions. To get a LEED Platinum certification, one company must score 80 out of the available 110 points.
Read more: Bangladesh now has 155 LEED-certified green factories
Textile Focus: Recently you received National Award on Environments 2016. How do you ensure the best environment?
Fazlul Hoque: Plummy Fashion Ltd. is the greenest knitwear factory in the world. You will get the touch of green in everywhere in the factory. We have installed CFC free cooling systems, efficient water fixtures, LED lighting, low energy plant minimizing the companies’ carbon footprint, the largest solar energy plant in Bangladesh and the factory has utilised a state of the art skylight system to trap natural sunlight for lighting its facilities. Despite a strong emphasis on the environment, Plummy Fashions ensures a comfortable and safe workplace, separate child-care, health care, and shower, recreation and training facilities.
Textile Focus: At present who are your current buyers? What is the feedback from them regarding your factory environment?
Fazlul Hoque: We are working with reputed buyers i.e Next, Lidl Zara Aldi, Falabella, Family Dollar, Mango. They are very happy with the environment and product quality. Due to make the initiative of green factory a success, buyers have to come forward by providing better prices. If they raise the prices even by a small amount, it would be a huge boost in ensuring factory safety in the country.
Textile Focus: What is your recommendation to achieve $50 Billion export target by 2021?
Fazlul Hoque: We need to develop the market. There are huge scope of expanding Bangladesh textile market in the world. We have to follow up the market and buyers with proper strategy and planning. New market sourcing is essential for us to achieve the target. We have scopes of market in Europe, China and even in India. Value addition on products is a major concern now a days. For this we will have to train our man force regular basis with latest technology especially in designing and pattern making. We have creative students, we need to train them properly. There is no alternative of value addition. When the product quality and design is rich we can ask them higher price. I am happy that more green factories are in under construction. When they will be in operation there will be a rapid positive change in the industry.
Textile Focus: Thank you.
