AGI Denim has become the first denim manufacturer and the only textile company in the world to achieve end-to-end LEED Gold certification.
In 2016, the Karachi, Pakistan-based company’s garment units became LEED Certified, with its spinning mill added in 2021. The fabric unit has now also become LEED Gold Certified, completing the certification process from spinning through garments.
The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification is a green building certification program that evaluates and recognizes the environmental performance of buildings, homes, and communities. LEED certification can show a company’s commitment to sustainability and reduce its environmental impact.
AGI achieved LEED certification by demonstrating sustainable practices in the facilities’ design, construction, and operation. This includes utilizing renewable energy like solar panels, energy-efficient lighting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, reducing water usage, recycling water, using environmentally friendly materials, and implementing waste management programs.
AGI added that the process is especially difficult for factories, which are typically more resource-intensive than homes and offices.
“Becoming end-to-end LEED Certified during these difficult times has been a ray of hope for us,” said Hasan Javed, AGI Denim executive director. “This certification shows our commitment to circularity and how we will never settle for anything short of the best approaches for our people and the planet.”
AGI’s fabric facilities are highly automated to “ensure the best output quality while maximizing worker safety in the process,” the company stated. It processes 8 million garments through 34 high-speed lasers annually at its garment factory. This use of technology brings a 48 percent efficiency increase across the board in terms of time and energy.
The company says automated fabric cutters and robotic sprayers developed in-house further allow it to focus on empowering its workforce by training staff to achieve specialized skill sets.
This latest milestone is part of the manufacturer’s roadmap marked by continuous investments innovation, technology, and responsible manufacturing. Javed added that the company is focused on “tangible advances” to reach its goal of becoming Net Zero by 2040.
AGI became the first (and currently only) B Corp company operating in Pakistan last year, scoring a 91.4 overall B Impact score. Applicants must reach a benchmark score of over 80 while providing evidence of socially and environmentally responsible practices relating to energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity, and corporate transparency.
“Each milestone like this brings us one step closer to our vision of being fully responsible and manufacturing with purpose,” he said.