Page 24 - April-May 2021
P. 24

24                                                                                                                                Partnership for Cleaner Textile                                                              25

                      EURATEX releases                                                                                                saves a massive amount of water



                                  the Quarterly


                       Economic Update

























                                                                                                                                    Partnership for Cleaner Textile (PaCT) is a flagship   environmental and sustainability challenges related
            EURATEX released its quarterly economic update on   industry (+1.6 points). The Employment                              program of the private sector lending arm of the   to the textile sector.
            the 9th of April 2021. EURATEX showed concerns   Expectations Indicator also revealed an increase.                      World Bank Group. Bangladesh's textile and
            that the Covid19 crisis may soon be followed by   However, these signs of recovery are being                            garment factories have significantly cut water and   Envoy Textile Ltd, the export-oriented company, used
            disruptions in our global supply chains, affecting our   jeopardized by recent turmoil in the textile and               energy consumption and saved 28.7 billion liters of   60.47 liters of water to produce one kilogram of
            industry's competitiveness.                      clothing supply chain, raising the prices of textile                   water per year.                                  denim fabrics in 2016. The water use has gone
                                                             fibers and dyestuffs and transport costs. Also, there                                                                   down to 44.9 liters thanks to installing the full-water
            Over the full year 2020, EU sales of textiles fell by   is a negative impact on CO2 prices and political                About 338 washing, dyeing, spinning, weaving, and   metering technology in collaboration with the PaCT.
            –9.3% and clothing sales by –17.7%, compared with   turmoil in some important sourcing countries such                   garment factories in Bangladesh have adopting    It has cut water consumption for processing fabrics.
            2019. Economic data up to December 2020 reflects   as China and Myanmar, which creates uncertainty,                     low-cost and cleaner production processes and    It can process one kg denim fabrics using 55.63
            a dramatic contraction in both the demand and    adding to the challenges of the corona pandemic.                       installing new technologies under a program      liters of water, which was 85.76 liters earlier. The
            production of textile and clothing caused by the                                                                        initiated by the International Finance Corporation   Bhaluka-based factory has targeted to reduce water
            pandemic. The crisis was particularly severe in the   Euratex believes 2021 will be a critical year for the             (IFC). Under the PaCT-2 program, the mills and   consumption by 34.91 percent by 2021 compared to
            middle of the year, with production losses       competitiveness of the European textile and clothing                   factories slashed wastewater discharge by 24.1   2016. Urmi Group of garment exporter currently
            of over 50%.                                     industry. A forward-looking EU textiles strategy,                      billion liters. Participating mills and factories invested   consumes 60 liters of water to dye one kg knit
                                                             which offers the right policy mix and support                          $44 million for the purpose.                     fabrics, way down from 100 liters to 105 liters
            EU imports increased by +5.5% in 2020. This      instruments for SMEs, is essential.                                                                                     needed two years ago.
            increase was primarily due to the import of personal                                                                    Similarly, the factories are saving 2.9 million
            protective equipment, including facemasks,       The EU Textiles strategy is expected to be issued in                   megawatt-hours (MGh) of electricity annually and   Apart from the sector's participation in the initiatives
            especially from China – up from a value of €1 billion   the third quarter of 2021. While it will put a strong           avoiding 558,391 tonnes of carbon emission,      regarding climate change and circularity, the
            in 2019 to €20 billion in 2020. Towards the last   focus on sustainability and circularity, Euratex                     according to data from the PaCT. Urmi Group of   Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters
                                                                                                                                                                                     Association (BGMEA) has also pledged to
            quarter of 2020, business activity recovered for the   believes the system must take a broader                          textiles Bangladesh currently consumes 60 liters of   sustainability, said Rubana Huq, the immediate past
            textile industry (+1.6% compared with the previous   perspective and ensure long-term competitiveness.                  water to dye one kg knit fabrics, way down from 100   president of the association. In collaboration with the
            quarter) but further deteriorated in the clothing   With around 160,000 companies employing 1.5                         liters to 105 liters needed two years ago. The PaCT   UNDP and the Global Reporting Initiative, a survey
            sector (-6.8%) due to the decline in consumption   million workers, the EU textile and clothing industry                supports the entire textile value chain – spinning,   to develop a report highlighting the impact of
            expenditure slowdown in non-essential activities.  is an essential pillar of the local economy across                   weaving, wet processing, and garment factories -- in   ready-made garment factories on the Sustainable
                                                             many EU regions. With over €61 billion of exports,                     adopting cleaner production practices. It focuses on   Development Goals was conducted. The BGMEA
            In March 2021, EU Business Confidence Indicator   the industry is a global player successfully                          reducing the environmental impact and resource   has joined the UN Climate Change and the Fashion
            showed an upward trend in the textile industry (+3.8   commercializing highly value-added products on                   consumption. The PaCT is the first program ever to   Industry Charter for Climate Action with an ambition
            points) and a modest recovery in the clothing    growing markets worldwide.                                             incorporate cutting-edge innovations to address the   to reduce GHG emissions by 30 percent by 2030.

               April/May 2021                                                                                                                                                                                   April/May 2021
   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29