UPCYBOM is a solution to promote upcycling in the textile industry by connecting brands directly to factories. UPCYBOM started its journey in Bangladesh last year. Recently Team Textile Focus met Ghislain Henno, Co-Founder, UPCYBOM in their Bangladesh Office. Ghislain demonstrated the activity of this tech-based platform. The conversation is below-
UPCYBOM is an upcycling solution as a platform for the textile industry
Ghislain Henno, Co-Founder, UPCYBOM
Textile Focus: What motivates you to get into this Hi-Tech Platform?
Ghislain Henno: I have been in the textile industry for the last 15 years and textile is one of the least digitalized industry. The only way to tackle all the waste in Fashion production will be with technology and data.
Textile Focus: Could you please brief the business model of Upcybom?
Ghislain Henno: UPCYBOM is an upcycling solution as a platform for the textile industry. Via the platform, suppliers can digitalize and upload all their leftovers, stocks, dead inventories and communicate to their internal team but also to their clients (or not) what is available. In this way we could reduce use of resources to make samples or create collection made only with leftovers. The platform offers plenty of different features: online inventory (public or private), reverse search, dashboard, networking.
We do not take any commissions on transaction but a membership fee.
Textile Focus: How do you see Upcybom business in Bangladesh?
Ghislain Henno: Bangladesh is the second country for the export garments. Therefore, there are a lot of waste generated in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is making tremendous effort on making their industry better (Accord, Leed certified factories…).
It is time to showcase the world that Bangladesh is tackling the challenge of its waste, and bring back the so called waste into the supply chain.
Textile Focus: What kinds of challenges do you face for your business?
Ghislain Henno: Leftovers, stocks, waste are part of the business model in the textile industry. No one sees any potential behind that. Business as usual, more orders, more buyers and discard the waste.
Brands are not aware of the waste generated by their production; they buy finish garments. Factories don’t track their waste, they just discard. Nobody really see the potential behind as they are too busy doing what they know to do the best making garments and selling them. But things are changing.
Textile Focus: Any Message to the Industry?
Ghislain Henno: We have only one planet and we know that our resources are not infinite, every stakeholder should start thinking of tomorrow and prepare themselves.
How can we continue our business using less and less resources???
