Vietnam, the world’s fifth-largest exporter of textiles and clothing, has a wealthy history of textile craftsmanship, local media reports.
From Tan Chau “royal silk” used to weave traditional ao dai dresses, to bamboo fibres used to make lacquered home goods and, more recently, T-shirts and bed linen, to hill tribe fabrics utilized by indigenous groups in Vietnam’s mountainous north to make blankets, pillows and bags, the country is a regional leader as a significant player in the worldwide textile industry.
Vietnam’s growing fame for high-quality craftsmanship and expert employees, in addition to the event of government-backed industrial zones offering attractive tax incentives to foreign investors, are causing international apparel manufacturers and fashion brands to increasingly consider turning Vietnam into an Asian garment manufacturing hub.
But the industry, notorious for its carbon emissions, industrial waste and unsavory image as a sweatshop, is now seeing significant growth at a time when corporate social responsibility is becoming increasingly necessary.
The query for Vietnam is whether or not it’s going to have the ability to develop its textile industry in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.
Despite the federal government’s tougher environmental regulations and better fines, garment manufacturers themselves are also taking steps to wash up the industry. They imagine Vietnam has the potential to paved the way in greener practices in Asia.
“After [Savar building factory fire and collapse] “A few years ago in Bangladesh, I wanted to show the world what an ideal factory looks like,” says Thomas Hebestreit, CEO of Royal Spirit Group, a Hong Kong-based clothing manufacturer and parent company of Deutsche BekleidungsWerke (DBW), a newly opened factory in southern Vietnam.
“The clothing industry is notorious for its exploitation of workers. We wanted to show the outside world that it is possible to produce clothing for people who still have the best conditions.” DBW is one among the few factories that gives air-con throughout its facility, in keeping with Hebestreit.
The 18,000-square-meter facility opened in November this 12 months and is provided with solar panels that may provide as much as 20 percent of the energy needed to run the business during times of drought in the course of the dry season.
The constructing is certified in keeping with internationally recognized LEED and Lotus standards. Hebestreit says he hopes the factory will likely be recognized for its environmentally friendly and sustainable operations.
Vietnam’s lack of unpolluted water and wastewater production are serious environmental issues. Reducing water consumption within the production cycle is a priority for the industry.
Recycling water used to clean fabrics is a technique factories are attempting to be more environmentally friendly, in keeping with Vincent Cheng, director of JG Consulting, a consulting firm that helps apparel firms improve production efficiency and quality.
“There is a process where water could be reused [used to wash the textiles] for something like toilets… There can also be something called ozone washing, where as an alternative of using chemicals to remove color from textiles, ozone is used [a gas which requires less water]”, he says. Phong Phu Joint Stock Company is one among the Vietnamese clothing manufacturers that uses this method.
Maxport, a widely known apparel manufacturer for brands like Patagonia, Nike, Arc’teryx and Lululemon, is one other facility that has implemented sustainable practices at its factory in Vietnam.
“From the very beginning of the infrastructure construction, they built eco-friendly elements into the building itself. Some buildings are not dependent on air conditioning, they plant trees around the factory, so when the wind blows, the trees create a cooling effect,” Cheng says. The factory is built on a hill, which helps the method.
Ultimately, foreign apparel manufacturers which are latest to the market have more freedom to implement environmentally friendly and sustainable processes of their factories because they enter the market knowing what their customers want.
“In Vietnam, foreign investors have a likelihood to start out over. And they’ve these [environmentally minded] outdoor clothing customers, so after they go to Vietnam, they have already got that attitude [to be eco-conscious]”- says Cheng.
“[But] often it’s not such as you’re talking and so they’re talking,” he warns. “Board and clients need to have that commitment.”
Originally Posted by Crystal Tai
Source :South China Morning Post
