Bangladesh's readymade garment (RMG) sector is steadily advancing on the path of sustainable development, said Swiss Ambassador to Bangladesh Reto Renggli on Thursday.
Also praising the industry for its significant improvements in workplace environment, workers' health and safety, and compliance standards, he urged the stakeholders to maintain this positive momentum.
The Swiss envoy made the remarks after visiting the Four A Yarn Dyeing factory, a concern of Team Group, located at Baipail in Savar.
Prior to a briefing, he visited various sections of the factory, interacted with workers and management, and observed the facilities firsthand.
"I was very pleased to visit this factory this morning for two reasons," Ambassador Renggli said.
"First, it is a very modern facility, and I was truly impressed by what I saw. Second, this factory produces for brands in Switzerland, and as the Swiss Ambassador, it's important for me to understand the working conditions in factories that supply the Swiss market," he added.
The envoy further said: "Beyond the production process, I was particularly impressed by the company's sustainability goals, which they aim to achieve by 2030. I believe this is an excellent example of how business success can be combined with sustainable development."
The ambassador also lauded the factory operators for providing a clean and green environment for workers, along with healthcare and other welfare benefits.
Earlier, Ambassador Renggli held a meeting with the management of Four A Yarn Dyeing.
Swiss Embassy's Senior Political, Economic and Press Officer Khaled Chowdhury accompanied him during the visit.
From the company side, Deputy Managing Director Abdullah Hil Nakib, Head of Marketing and Merchandising Mehedi Hasan Asif, and other senior officials were present.
Mr. Nakib told news men that the Swiss envoy's visit was aimed at countering negative perceptions and misinformation about Bangladesh's apparel sector abroad.
"We wanted to show the ambassador the real picture of our industry - the working environment, workers' welfare, and product quality," he said.
"He (Ambassador) was very pleased with what he saw and even sought our permission to share his experience on social media, which we believe will help improve the country's brand image," said Mr. Nakib.
He further said the ambassador also expressed the interest in promoting a more accurate understanding of Bangladesh's garment industry in Switzerland.
Four A Yarn Dyeing is a US Green Building Council (USGBC) certified green factory with the highest Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum rating.
The facility manufactures high-value jackets, with free-on-board (FOB) prices close to $100 per piece. These jackets retail for $700-$800 in European and US markets. Mr. Nakib said, "We have a total of 82 production lines. Our total turnover is expected to reach $70 million-plus this year."
He went on: "We are planning for further growth as we are in discussions with several value-added buyers. If these discussions materialise, our turnover could reach close to $100 million by 2026."
"We are now waiting for a significant leap forward, as our group has been maintaining a 15 to 20 percent annual growth rate," he added.
Responding to a question, the Team Group DMD said the recent US tariff hike on Chinese products would create pressure on China.
"It is true that they will try to push more into the EU market, and it would definitely create challenges," he said.
"But the challenge will not be so big that we won't be able to overcome it, because I believe it won't be that easy for the Chinese to capture the EU market."
Citing a recent conversation with a European customer, he said: "Even a few days ago, I was talking to one of our buyers, and they mentioned that they are gradually trying to move away from Chinese suppliers. This sentiment is slowly growing."
Highlighting the importance of long-term relationships, he said: "The relationship we have built with our customers really matters. Until today, no customer has ever left us because of issues with our service, delivery, or quality."
Currently, the factory produces and supplies garments for at least 20 leading global brands, including Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein (CK), and Jack & Jones, it was learnt.
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