Kenneth Straka, Senior Product Development Manager at Deckers Outdoor Corporation, said that Deckers places strong emphasis on sustainability, noting that founder John Luke often reminded the team that the French word for sustainability is durability. This idea aligned with discussions at the Global Fashion Summit, where the theme centred on “Building Resilient Futures” in the sustainable and circular economy.

Durability has helped UGG become one of the most sought-after boot brands and a key sales driver for Deckers, alongside its sportswear brand Hoka. “One of the things we think about in terms of circularity is making products that last a long time and remain with consumers throughout their lives. We want products that consumers can wear for ** or ** years,” Straka said in an interview with Fibre*Fashion on the sidelines of the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen.

Representatives of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) recently met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and urged him to ensure uninterrupted power and energy supply, quick release of export receipts from banks, reopening of closed factories and easing of customs regulations.

BGMEA president Mahmud Hasan Khan said they discussed export diversification within the garment sector, reopening of closed factories and many factories’ struggle for survival.

Representatives of two top Bangladesh garment trade bodies recently met PM Tarique Rahman and urged him to ensure uninterrupted power and energy supply, quick release of export receipts from banks, reopening of closed factories and easing of customs regulations.
BKMEA raised concerns about misuse of the bond facility and urged action against violators of bond licences.

104 factories have informed the BGMEA about their closure till now, Khan said. BGMEA will scrutinise these cases to identify the genuine reasons for the closures.

Following the scrutiny, the association will send recommendations for reopening these factories, as the government is working to open a Tk 200-billion fund to assist their revival.

BKMEA president Mohammad Hatem said some 400 factories closed in the last three years—nearly 300 of them due to non-cooperation from banks. He said banks release export receipts to exporters’ lien accounts, but delays in payment often force loans into default, leaving exporters unable to pay suppliers on time.

He also demanded uninterrupted supply of power and gas to industrial units as recent shortages of fuel oil have severely affected productivity, according to domestic media ooutlets.

Hatem raised concerns about misuse of the bond facility and urged action against violators of bond licences.

He also called for easing the rules of the National Board of Revenue, particularly customs procedures, to smoothen export and import processes and reduce lead times.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal yesterday called for aligning standards and customs procedures with Africa to boost bilateral trade.

The $3.4-trillion African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) presents immense opportunities to create resilient partnerships, diversify supply chains and move beyond raw material trade towards higher-value manufacturing and integrated value chains, he told a curtain raiser event for the forthcoming India-Africa Business Dialogue (IABD) and Exhibition.

Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal yesterday called for aligning standards and customs procedures with Africa to boost trade.
The AfCFTA presents immense opportunities to move towards higher-value manufacturing and integrated value chains, he said.
Goyal said renewable energy, green hydrogen, green ammonia, electric mobility, digitalisation and telecom are key sectors to boost cooperation.

The minister “emphasised the need to build upon existing trade ties and preferential trade frameworks by aligning standards, customs procedures and business practices to facilitate faster and smarter growth for businesses on both sides”, the Ministry of Commerce said in a release.

Stressing that nearly two-thirds of the population of India and Africa is below 35, he called for greater focus on skilling, start-ups, innovation ecosystems and talent development to prepare the workforce for industries of the future.

Goyal said renewable energy, green hydrogen, green ammonia, electric mobility, digitalisation and telecommunications are key sectors to boost cooperation.

India-Africa trade reached $93.69 billion in fiscal 2025-26, seeing a 14.39-per cent growth year on year. India’s exports to Africa stood at $45.42 billion, while imports were worth $48.27 billion during the period.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)