Bangladesh has immense potential to touch its targeted $50 billion export landmark by the year 2021 through grabbing major share of global smart clothing market of $130 billion through upgrading the production from the traditional apparel manufacturing.
Through this shift, the country’s apparel industry can sustain its growth overcoming challenges it has been facing as the recent increase of wages has raised production cost of garments products.
This was highlighted at a press conference to announce the 2nd Bangladesh Fashionology Summit to be organised at the International Convention City Bashundhara, Dhaka on May 02, 2019.
Tipu Munshi, Minister for Commerce, will be present at the inaugural session as the chief guest. Md. Atiqul Islam, Mayor, Dhaka North City Corporation and former president, BGMEA, Md. Shafiul Islam (Mohiuddin), president, The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), Ms. Rubana Huq, President-Elect, BGMEA, Harry Verweij, Ambassador of Dutch in Bangladesh, Naser Uddin, Chairman, Pacific Jeans Ltd will be present as special guests.
The 2nd Bangladesh Fashionology Summit is organised aiming at fetching country’s share in global smart clothing market, the organisers said.
“The cost of production have made it inevitable for the apparel manufacturers of the country to concentrate on value added products. The 130 billion dollars smart clothing market is an area we need to focus on to survive and thrive,” the organiser of the summit Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) unveiled this.
Smart clothing is the fourth industrial textile revolution, a sector that in 2025 will reach a sales volume of more than US$ 130 billion, said the organisers.
Mostafiz Uddin, Founder and CEO of Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) was present at the press conference.
“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. The objective of Bangladesh Fashionololgy Summit is to facilitate the shift,” he added.
The theme of the 2nd edition of Bangladesh Fashionology Summit is ‘Digitalization - the Next Destination’. So, the event is aligned with the government goals of ‘Digital Bangladesh Vision’.
A total of 41 speakers from 15 countries will speak at differernt sessions of the summit.
Ms. Rensje Teerink, Ambassador and the Head of Delegation European Union to Bangladesh, Ms. Winnie Estrup, Ambassador of Denmark to Bangladesh, Md. Shahidul Haque, Senior Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Faruque Hassan, Honorary Consul General, Consulate of Greece in Dhaka, Bangladesh & Senior Vice President, BGMEA, Salim Rahman, Managing Director, KDS Group, Mohiuddin Ahmed, Director, Pioneer Denim, will deliver welcome address.
In the session-1 titled “Digitalization of Supply Chain – To Cut Costs and Reduce Lead Time”, Ms. Brooke Robert Islam, Co-Director, Brooke Robert Innovation Agency will speak as keynote speaker while Wendy Jo Werner, Country Manager, IFC will moderate. Ms. Shwapna Bhomick, Country Manager, Marks & Spancer, David Leprovost, Channel Sales Director, South & South East Asia, Lectra, Asif Zahir, Director, Sindabad will speak.
In the session-2: Transparency in Global Supply Chain, the speakers are Lars Doemer, Co-Founder, Goblu as keynote speaker, while other speakers are David Hasnat, Chairman, Viyellatex Group, Basirun Nabi Khan, Relations & Public Affairs Manager, H&M,
Ms. Naureen Chowdhury, Programme Manager, C&A Foundation, Veith Geise, ex vice president, Jeanswear, Jonas Wano, Managing Director, Foursource Group.
Session-3: Innovation For the Era of Fourth Industrial Revolution will held where Moin Roberts-Islam, Technology Development Manager, Fashion Innovation Agency will address as keynote speaker. Asif Ibrahim, Vice Chairman, New Age Group will moderate. Speakers are Ms. Ann Runnel, CEO, Reverse Resource, Suman Bethapudi, Cradle Cradle to Product Manager, C&A Sourcing, Syed M. Tanvir, Director, Pacific Jeans Limited and Jonathan Jornow, Inventor, Sewbo.
In session-4: Technology for Decent Work and Environment, the speakers are Ms. SK Jenefa Jabbar, Director-Human Rights & Legal Aid Services, BRAC, Peter Mcallister, Executive Director, Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), Ms. Sophie Norostrom, A Founder & Deputy CEO – QuizzRR AB, Petri Alva, CEO, Infinited Fiber, Kiran Gokathoti, Sustainability Manager, H&M, Ms. Nazma Akter, Executive Director, Awaj Foundation.
In session-5: Policy Dialogue On Future Skills Development, the speakers are Anir Chowdhury, Policy Speacialist, Access to Information, Ms. Sarah krasely, CEO, Shimmy Technologies - Keynote Speaker, Derrick Brown, Mission Director, USAID, Dr. Jürgen Bischoff, Senior Advisor, GIZ, Jalal Ahmed, Executive Director, SEIP and Naser Ezaz Bijoy, Ceo, SCB.
Pivot88, Lectra, Sindabad, Pacfic Associates, Earlycavehuman, Foursource Group GmbH, GoBlu, Rudholm Group, QuizRR, BRAC, SNV, SR Asia, Swiss contact, Access to Information (a2i) are the major exhibitors.
Collaboration partners are H&M, C&A Sourcing, Marks & Spencer (M&S), Embassy of Denmark in Bangladesh, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Access to Information (a2i), International Apparel Federation (IAF), Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) + Higg Index, Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbei (GIZ), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
The summit will also present a unique platform for start-ups to demonstrate their cutting edge innovation in fashion.
An exclusive “Digital Tech Fashion Runway Show” will also be organized in the Summit where smart wearable by world’s renowned fashion tech designers will be showcased on ramp.
Moreover, a Tech innovation Zone will be set up in the Summit to display latest technologies and innovation in fashion.
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