World’s top eco-friendly factory is in Bangladesh

The world’s top eco-friendly factory is in Bangladesh now. Green Textile Limited’s unit-4, located in Mymensingh’s Bhaluka, has made it to the top on the list of world’s best eco-friendly factories as per US Green Building Council (USGBC)’s standard certificate.

It has scored 104 out of 110 on different scales of eco-friendly factories. USGBC issued the certificate on 21 February. However, the official announcement came from the apex body of readymade garments factory owners, BGMEA, on Saturday.

According to USGBC’s latest list, eight of the world’s top ten eco-friendly factories are in Bangladesh alone. One of the remaining two factories is Indonesian while the other is Sri Lankan. Since 2018, world’s top eco-friendly factory was in Indonesia. The factory had scored 101 out of 110. Now Green Textile has beaten it to the top.

Apart from that, the remaining seven factories making it to the top ten-list includes Remi Holdings, Fatullah Apparels, Tarasima Apparels, Plummy Fashions, Silken Sewing and Mithela Textile Industries. The factory that has ranked third on the list hasn’t been disclosed, except for the fact it’s from Bangladesh.

USGBC is a council of US architects. It provides advice and assistance in building eco-friendly buildings and factories around the world. They even have specific standard for building eco-friendly factories or establishments.

Till now, the certificate provided by this organisation is recognised in different countries around the world. The world’s major buyer companies consider this organisation’s certificates with significance. That’s why industrialists in the country also take USGBC’s certificate quite seriously.

All the factories on USGBC’s top ten list have received LEED Platinum certificate. Factories that score 80 out of 110 on different standards are provided this certificate.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. To achieve this certificate, a project has to maintain precise quality, set on different standards starting from construction to production under USGBC’s supervision. Factories can apply for this certificate after constructing a new building or renovating an old one maintaining a fixed standard.

Green Textile is a textile factory, established jointly under local and foreign investment. Shares of the factory are owned by Hong Kong based multinational textile company Epic Group and Bangladeshi company Envoy Legacy.

Green Textile is run by former BGMEA president Kutubuddin Ahmed on behalf of Envoy Legacy. His son Tanvir Ahmed is the current managing director of Green Textile.

Tanvir Ahmed told Prothom Alo, “This achievement will help Bangladesh in fulfilling the SDG. At the same time, it will increase Bangladesh’s reputation in the world manifold.”

“Hopefully, this global recognition will be prioritised in the bargain of merchandise price. As international brands will take this recognition into consideration in case of giving any purchase order,” he added.

Company sources report that environment and natural resources have been given maximum priority in setting up the 54,000 square feet-factory. As part of that, 65 per cent of the water used in the factory is resourced from stored rainwater.

Apart from that, instead of using fossil fuel the factory uses more green energy. As much as 80 per cent of the factory’s power supply comes from solar energy.

According to Green Textile sources, the company already has four units set up inside their own industrial area. Unit no. 4 of these four units has been recognised as world’s top eco-friendly factory. The third one among the remaining three units has also gained ‘LEED Platinum’ factory status.

The other two units are ‘Gold’ certified. When a factory gets a score of 60 to 79 numbers on different USGCB standards, it receives a ‘Gold’ certificate. Meanwhile, for scoring 50 to 59 numbers, a factory gets ‘Silver’ and for scoring 40 to 49 numbers ‘Certified’ certificate.  

As many as 52 factories among the top 100 eco-friendly factories on USGBC’s list are in Bangladesh. China ranks second on the list with ten factories.

Next in line comes Pakistan, with nine factories, followed by Sri Lanka and India with six factories each. Vietnam and Taiwan each has four factories while the rest of the factories are scattered around the globe.

As for readymade garment industry owners, the current number of eco-friendly factories in Bangladesh under various categories including LEED Platinum, Gold and Silver is 183.

Apart from this, more than 500 factories are also in the process of receiving eco-friendly factory certification.

LEED Platinum certificate is awarded through numbering in quite a few categories. These categories include sustainable factory premises, efficient use of water, sustainable energy and environment, materials and resources, innovation and regional priorities etc.

Eco-friendly factories started their journey in the country, holding hands with garment industry entrepreneur Sajjadur Rahman in 2012. Vintage Denim Studio, established by him at Pabna’s Ishwardi EPZ received international recognition as the first eco-friendly factory.

Alongside readymade garments and textiles sector, there are eco-friendly factories in shipbuilding, footwear and electronics sectors also. Besides, though less in number, eco-friendly commercial buildings are also being constructed now.

When asked about the increasing number of eco-friendly factories and a Bangladeshi company topping that list, executive president of knitwear industry owners’ organisation BKMEA Mohammad Hatem told Prothom Alo, “This achievement is a matter of great pride for Bangladesh.”

“The competing countries are nowhere near Bangladesh when it comes to setting eco-friendly factories. Hopefully, this global recognition will help increase the price of apparel,” he said.