Apparel future lies in manmade fibre
Bangladesh's primary textile sector is undergoing rapid changes with local millers taking to making quite a lot of manmade fibres alongside cotton fibres to meet up rising global demand.
Import of manmade fibres grew a considerable 45.72 % to reach 99,597 tonnes in the first five months (January to May) of the year in comparison to 68,348 tonnes through the corresponding period in 2020, according to Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) data.
Of the imports, about 61,693 tonnes were polyester staple fibre, 32,454 tonnes viscose staple fibre, and around 5,450 tonnes tencel and flax fibre.
The spending on such imports also increased amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which had disrupted the global supply chain for a long period.
Local importers, millers, traders and spinners spent about Tk 1,221 crore through the January-May period this year compared to around Tk 706 crore in the same period the this past year, registering 73 per cent year-on-year growth.
The three main manmade fibres -- polyester, viscose and tencel -- have emerged as substitutes for cotton fibres, bringing on a revolution in global fashion trends.
Of most garment items produced in the world, 78 % is manufactured out of manmade fibres while cotton fibre accounts for the others, according to data from International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF), a Switzerland-based platform for global textile makers.
Mainly Japan and China have brought significant changes to global fibre technologies while making certain apparel items remain comfortable even though created from petroleum by-products, plastic containers, pineapple leaves and even tree bark.
However the case of Bangladesh is nearly in reverse when compared to global trend.
Of the total garment items manufactured in the country, a lot more than 74 % are from cotton.
Using cotton fibres rather than manmade kinds for export-oriented garment items is probably the major reasons premium prices can't be availed from international clothing retailers and brands.
The purchase price chart indicates that the worthiness of Bangladeshi made garment items has not increased because the Rana Plaza tragedy.
However, local garment factory owners are actually maintaining global workplace safety standards spending practically $4 billion according to recommendations of the Accord and Alliance, two foreign agencies focusing on such upgrades.
This proves that limitations to product variations and overdependence on cotton fibres are the key known reasons for premium prices from international retailers and brands staying elusive.
"For instance, the purchase price range of a cotton fibre T-shirt made in Bangladesh could possibly be between $3 and $7," said Faruque Hassan, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
However, if the same T-shirt is made from manmade fibres, the purchase price reaches least 30 % higher, he added.
The demand for manmade fibre-based garments keeps growing around the globe mainly due to being comfortable, durable and functional and capability to protect against cold.
BTMA President Mohammad Ali Khokon said the federal government should withdraw the almost 15 % advanced tax and advanced tax on manmade fibre imports to greatly help expand the sector.
The full total investment in the spinning sector alone currently stands at more than $8 billion but if manmade fibre-based industries grow further, so too will investment, he added.
For example, a far more sophisticated portion of manmade fibre-based industries may be the filament yarn industry, where it requires at least Tk 500 crore to create a factory.
So, later on entrepreneurs will create these kind of factories in Bangladesh if the neighborhood manmade fibre-based industries can shine, based on the BTMA chief.
Khokon remarked that Bangladeshi garment manufacturers used to import a large amount of fabrics to create jackets but local mills are actually supplying the high-end textiles required because of investment in the sector.
Monsoor Ahmed, additional director of the BTMA, said use of superior technologies in production of manmade fibres make sure they are very comfortable as the demand for such items has been rising rapidly.
Currently, some 40 local factories have already been importing, using and selling manmade fibres in Bangladesh although it was significantly less than 30 just five years back.
The rising number of factories that use manmade fibres also indicates that millers are showing a heightened interest in the sector.
However, manmade fibres aren't a complete alternative to cotton fibre, Monsoor added.
The BGMEA chief also demanded a 10-year tax holiday for investments in the manmade fibre sector alongside a 10 per cent incentive for manmade fibre-based garment exporters.
"This would assist in investments in this new possibility to grab a greater share of the global manmade fibre-based garment markets," he said, adding that Bangladesh has the installed capacity to manufacture and export manmade fibre-based apparel items.
