In 2022, Leading material science company, Recover™, has announced the official opening of its new facility in Bangladesh, expanding the company´s manufacturing capabilities and accelerate its efforts to transform the fashion industry by solving one of the world’s biggest environmental issues.
This manufacturing hub is an integral part of Recover´s strategy for growth and scalability. This facility helps Recover™ support the surging global demand for sustainable fibers, and circularity in the textile and fashion industry.
Md Rajib Rayhan, Regional Sales Accounts Director of Recover had a candid conversation with Textile Focus and shared many insights. Read the full conversation here –
Textile Focus: How do you see current scenario of Bangladesh Textile Sector?
Rajib Rayhan: Bangladesh’s textile industry has long been a cornerstone of its economy, significantly contributing to export earnings and employment. As of December 2024, the industry achieved a milestone by earning $38.50* billion from exports, marking 7.23% increase from the previous year.
The sector employs approximately 5 million workers, with women constituting about 55% of the workforce. This substantial employment base underscores the industry’s role in providing economic opportunities, particularly for women.
However, the industry faces several challenges. Political instability has led to labor strikes and factory shutdowns, disrupting production and supply chains. Additionally, energy shortages have affected manufacturing operations, highlighting the need for sustainable energy solutions.
Despite these hurdles, the industry is poised to grow. The Bangladesh Textile Manufacturing Market is projected to reach USD 20.15 billion by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.81%, aiming for USD 26.72 billion by 2030.
To further support this growth, global initiatives for sustainability are gaining traction. Recover™ focused on recycling and sustainability, established a plant in Bangladesh to promote circularity in the garment industry. This plant produces high-quality recycled cotton fibers, helping reduce environmental impact and supporting a circular economy. Alongside this, the European Investment Bank has pledged to double its funding for sustainable infrastructure projects, such as green energy and climate-resilient water systems, further bolstering the industry’s transition to more sustainable practices.
In summary, while Bangladesh’s textile industry continues to be a vital economic driver, it must navigate political and infrastructural challenges to sustain and enhance its growth trajectory.
Textile Focus: As a fiber based global company, how is Recover contributing to the global textile industry?
Rajib Rayhan: Recover™ is a global leader in textile-to-textile recycling, revolutionizing the industry by producing high & consistent quality, low-impact recycled cotton fiber while actively driving the shift towards circular fashion. By converting post-industrial and post-consumer textile waste into new fibers, Recover™ significantly reduces reliance on virgin cotton, conserves resources, and minimizes landfill waste. The company’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its measurable environmental impact, saving over 20 billion liters of water, 162 million kWh of energy, and preventing nearly 20 million kg of CO2 emissions in 2023 alone.
With production hubs in Spain, Bangladesh, Pakistan & Vietnam, Recover™ is not only scaling sustainable fiber production but also strengthening global supply chains by ensuring full traceability and ethical sourcing, with almost 100% of its fiber sold to GRS-certified spinners. The company actively collaborates with major fashion brands to integrate recycled cotton into mainstream apparel, and its industry-leading projects are setting new standards in circular denim innovation.
Additionally, Recover™ is a key member of sustainability initiatives including Textiles 2030, Circular Fashion Partnership, and Accelerating Circularity, working to advance regulatory frameworks and industry-wide adoption of circular principles. With a zero-tolerance approach to child labor and a strong focus on ESG compliance, Recover™ ensures ethical and socially responsible production practices while continuously innovating with digital traceability solutions to enhance transparency. By combining sustainability, innovation, and collaboration, Recover™ is not only addressing the urgent environmental challenges in the textile industry but also leading the way towards a more responsible and circular future in fashion.”
Textile Focus: How do you see Bangladesh Market & do you have any production unit?
Rajib Rayhan: Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) sector, a cornerstone of its economy, produces approximately 400,000 tons of waste annually. Effectively recycling this waste presents a significant economic opportunity, with potential earnings estimated between $1 billion to $1.2 billion.
Recognizing this potential, we have established a state-of-the-art production facility in Bangladesh. This facility is designed to process substantial volumes of textile waste, converting them into high-quality recycled fibers.
By leveraging advanced recycling technologies, Recover™ not only reduces environmental impact but also supports Bangladesh’s transition towards a circular economy. This initiative aligns with the country’s commitment to sustainable development and positions Bangladesh as a key player in the global recycled textile market.
Through this establishment, Recover enhances its production capabilities and contributes to the local economy by creating jobs and promoting sustainable practices. The facility’s significant processing capacity underscores our dedication to supporting Bangladesh in harnessing its recycling potential, thereby transforming textile waste into valuable economic opportunities.
Textile Focus: What are the challenges of textile waste recycling?
Rajib Rayhan: Textile waste recycling faces several significant challenges that hinder the industry’s progress toward circularity. One primary obstacle is the sourcing and sorting of raw materials. Recyclers like Recover™ require feedstock with a high cotton content to produce quality recycled fibers. However, the current market lacks sufficient technology and capacity to meet these specific sorting and preparation needs, creating a gap in the supply chain.
Another challenge is the variation in quality among textile waste materials. Inconsistencies in the raw material can impede efforts to achieve a closed-loop, zero-waste system, as not all waste is suitable for recycling into high-quality fibers.
Last but not the least, to support the growth of the textile recycling industry, the Value Added Tax (VAT) on “clips/raw materials” used in recycled fiber processing, as well as on the recycled fiber produced in these plants, should be exempted. This exemption would incentivize sustainable practices, reduce production costs, and encourage greater investment in circular textile solutions.
Addressing these challenges necessitates advancements in sorting technologies, improvements in waste material quality, and proactive engagement with evolving legislative requirements to foster a more sustainable and circular textile industry.
Textile Focus: What is your future plan to promote circularity in Bangladesh?
Rajib Rayhan: Recover™ is actively advancing circularity in Bangladesh through several strategic initiatives. As a member of the Circular Fashion Partnership, led by the Global Fashion Agenda, we collaborate with brands, manufacturers, NGOs, policymakers, and other stakeholders to develop the textile recycling industry in Bangladesh. The partnership focuses on capturing and redirecting post-production fashion waste back into the creation of new fashion products, thereby establishing a scalable circular fashion system within the country.
As I said earlier too, in alignment with its growth and scalability strategy, we have established a manufacturing facility in Bangladesh. This facility is integral to reduce waste from Bangladesh & supporting the increasing global demand for sustainable fibers and promoting circularity in the textile and fashion industry.
Through these efforts, we aim to foster a sustainable and circular textile industry in Bangladesh, contributing to environmental conservation and economic development.
Source: EPB Data.
