Digital technology and circularity were on the agenda at the 10th edition of the Bangladesh Denim Expo and the Bangladesh Fashionology Summit May 2-3.
The events, founded by Rivet 50 member Mostafiz Uddin, were positioned to help Bangladesh’s apparel industry fetch its share of the global smart apparel market, and to foster modern, technology-driven manufacturing in the country.
Under the theme of circularity, the expo hosted 63 exhibitors from 11 countries and urged each company to adopt circular business models. Seminars and workshops examined what circularity would mean for the Bangladesh garment industry, how the jeanswear segment can become more circular and the technology required to turn circularity into reality in the country.
“We are living in a world where the apparel industry generates a great amount of garments which can be recycled or reused,” Uddin said. “Circularity has been emphasized in this edition of the expo because it is the right way to a sustainable future.”
The one-day Bangladesh Fashionology Summit took a closer look at technology, particularly how the supply chain can digitize for greater efficiency and create products with added value.
In collaboration with Fashion For Good, the summit provided a Tech Innovation Zone to showcase innovative companies, including Trustrace, a traceability platform that uses blockchain, fashion tech startup Shimmy Technologies and Reverse Resource, a software that maps textile scraps for recycling. The event also hosted a digital tech runway show curated by Labeldby featuring the first tech outfit made in Bangladesh.
“The shift from producing basic to smart clothing will not be so easy and it has to be done gradually with proper planning and preparation,” Uddin added. “The objective of the Bangladesh Fashionology Summit is to facilitate the shift.”