STAR BUSINESS REPORT

Speakers at a discussion yesterday suggested the adaptation of recycled fashion to preserve the environment and foster sustainability in the industry.

The suggestion came during a discussion at an event titled “Together for Climate”, organised by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) in collaboration with Re/Dress yesterday at BRAC University in Dhaka.

Scheduled as part of HSBC’s commitment to fostering a sustainable future, the discussion delved into the transformative potential of circular fashion within the retail industry, according to a statement from HSBC.

The event featured industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and designers, who shared valuable insights and best practices for sustainable fashion.

Devesh Mathur, chief operating officer of HSBC Bangladesh, said: “Our planet urgently needs drastic and lasting action to protect our communities, businesses and natural environment from the effects of climate change.”

HSBC believes that by harnessing the collective efforts and expertise of various companies, institutions and individuals, it is possible to influence policy decisions and create momentum towards a more sustainable and resilient future, Mathur added.

The programme brought together champions of sustainability, who drove discussions integral to achieving sustainability goals, shared innovative ideas, and explored collaborative opportunities to advance sustainability within the fashion industry.

The discussion also focused on Retelling the Retail: Tale of Circularity covered by Re/DRESS; Circular Economy in the Textile Sector covered by Reverse Resource; Sustainable Fashion covered by Taaga, Aarong and Entrepreneurs and their Sustainability Journey, covered by BRAC University.

HSBC actively supports renewable energy projects and promotes sustainable finance and investments. The bank has pioneered many sustainable financial solutions in the market such as Sustainability Linked Loan and Social Loan, the statement also said.

HSBC has a global ambition to contribute to sustainable financing and to support its customer’s in transitioning to more sustainable ways of doing business while bringing its financed emissions to net-zero by 2050 or earlier.

The bank has also set an ambitious target to become a net-zero carbon emission company by 2030.

Teresa Albor, coordinator and designer at Re/Dress, Bharat Pratap Singh, coordinator and designer at Re/Dress, Jahidul Rakib, founder and CEO at DenimRevive, Mumit Hasan, director of business and operations at Reverse Resources, Osman Gani Rinque, senior design manager at Aarong, Lora Khan, founder and designer at 6 Yards Story, and Bonani S Chowdhury, an entrepreneur, also spoke.