‘Reducing raw material usage through circular practices beneficial for industries especially for RMG’

Waste should not be viewed as a problem but rather as a resource. Particularly in the garment industry, reducing the use of raw materials and reusing production waste can create new opportunities and business prospects.

When companies are able to manufacture products using fewer inputs, production costs naturally decrease. At the same time, if waste generated during the production process can be transformed into new products or raw materials, it can also become an additional source of income.

For Bangladesh to sustain the growth of its garment sector and other industries, and remain competitive in the global market, there is no alternative to this approach. This has become even more critical in the context of Bangladesh’s impending graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in November 2026.

In practice, the ready-made garment industry is already producing mattresses and pillows using cut waste (“Jhut”), while yarn is now being manufactured from discarded plastic bottles.

These initiatives not only ensure business profitability but also significantly reduce waste, generating positive outcomes for both the economy and the environment.

The observations were made at a workshop, which was organized to further promote the concept of the circular economy among businesses and to showcase practical transformative approaches.

The three-day workshop called ‘CIRCO Track’ concluded at a hotel in Gulshan, Dhaka recently.

It was conducted following the internationally recognized CIRCO methodology by Pieter van Os, Co-founder of CIRCO International, and Ms. Nattinee Dora Sae-Ho, Trainer at CIRCO Hub Thailand, among others.

In the workshop, participants developed outlines of innovative business models based on circularity principles.

The workshop was organized by international business consultancy firm LightCastle Partners, with support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh.

The initiative was also supported by Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and CIRCO Netherlands.

The three-day program was formally inaugurated on 11 January by Mohammed Sohel, Director of BGMEA.

The closing remarks were delivered by Tanzila Tajreen, Senior Policy Advisor for Private Sector Development, Economic Affairs from the Dutch Embassy in Bangladesh.

It was stated at the workshop that in response to global economic challenges, the European Union (EU) is steadily advancing toward environmentally sustainable production. Ensuring environmental protection at every stage of the production process remains a major challenge for Bangladesh and other developing countries.

Speakers and trainers noted that in an increasingly competitive market, global buyers are shifting toward the use of recycled materials by 2030. In this context, CIRCO Hub Bangladesh will play a vital supporting role in helping Bangladeshi manufacturers meet sustainability standards.

Organizers reported that officials from 10 companies in the garment and textile sector participated in the workshop. The participants included representatives from garment and recycling sector SMEs, leading manufacturers, and BGMEA.

Over the coming months, the Bangladesh Hub will train a total of 60 participants, two officials from 30 companies. Participants will be developed as “Circularity Ambassadors” and will help build a strong local ecosystem for innovation and policy advocacy.

CIRCO Hub Bangladesh is a strategic platform designed to guide small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly in the ready-made garment and textile sectors, toward environmentally friendly circular production practices. Based on the academic framework of Delft University of Technology, the methodology is internationally recognized for developing distinctive circular business models.

Under this platform, more than 2,500 companies worldwide have already been trained. To make circularity more feasible, open, and widely adoptable, CIRCO Hub Bangladesh recently organized a roundtable discussion with leading garment industry’s circularity experts; and currently working to develop circularity specialists at the local level.
For more information about the Track, visit www.circohubbangladesh.org or connect with CIRCO Hub Bangladesh on LinkedIn.

Writer is a Senior Business Consultant of LightCastle Partners