IAF given EU-funded project on capacity building in BD

FE Report

The International Apparel Federation (IAF) has been granted a EU-funded project aiming to build capacity in Bangladesh.

The IAF is an international trade association whose members include national clothing associations and companies whose core business is sourcing, designing, development, manufacturing, distribution, and retailing of apparel products.

The IAF is granted the project together with its two association members BKMEA (Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association) and HCIA (The Hellenic Clothing Industry Association), said a report by knittingindustry.com.

The project is aimed at capacity building, network extension and knowledge transfer and BKMEA and HCIA will be able to better service the companies that are their members by having gained more international contacts, more knowledge and insights, it added.

The project will include training sessions in Bangladesh and several networking trips to Europe and to Bangladesh.

According to an IAF statement : "The IAF will make sure that more IAF members than BKMEA and HCIA will benefit from the project by setting up a peer group to which it invites its members with specific interests in the Bangladesh knitwear industry. Project execution will start very soon."

"The apparel industry undeniably plays a big role in the industrial development of many countries creating millions of jobs worldwide. Where big improvements in production infrastructure can still be made, big productivity gains and big improvements in working conditions can be combined," the statement added.

"Therefore, IAF is pleased to contribute to the industrial development of Bangladesh. Knowledge is key and with an expert network, IAF is able to transfer this knowledge for improving the apparel industry as a whole."