Seamless garments: How Urmi Group leads Bangladesh's apparel export diversity

Seamless garments are paving the way to diversify the export portfolio in the apparel industry of Bangladesh as Urmi Group is contributing to the country's efforts to expand its global market share by using the technology.

Since establishing the country's first seamless unit in 2015 with just five machines at its knit composite unit Fakhruddin Textile Mills, the company has experienced significant growth.

Currently, it has an impressive fleet of 78 machines. It also has plans to increase the number to 150 within the next two years.

The company's strong presence through seamless technology is playing a significant role in rebranding Bangladesh within the global athleisure market, said company officials.

Seamless technology involves the creation of garments without traditional seams, eliminating the need for cutting and sewing separate fabric pieces together. It is commonly used in the production of athleisure and intimate wear.

With a market value of $330.97 billion in 2022, the global athleisure market is projected to reach $793.46 billion by 2028.

Industry insiders said Bangladesh has the potential to capture a substantial share of this market and generate valuable foreign exchange by effectively harnessing seamless technology.

The beginning

Seamless technology is a cutting-edge innovation that originated in Europe in the 1990s. From there, the technology gradually made its way to Asian countries including Bangladesh.

Asif Ashraf, managing director of Urmi Group and founder of its seamless unit, told The Business Standard that he drew inspiration for seamless technology from an apparel fair in Italy.

"Every leading buyer had a segment dedicated to seamless apparel, which was noticeably absent in Bangladesh, despite it being the second largest exporter in the garment industry," he said.

"Following that, we made the decision to invest in this segment. However, it proved to be a challenging journey as we had to acquire knowledge from abroad. To overcome this, we employed experienced top officials from Sri Lanka who were well-versed in seamless technology," he said.

"We also hired some diploma engineers as seamless machine operators," he added.

With seamless technology, garments can be designed and manufactured by incorporating different knit textures mapped in various zones of the garment.

Additionally, different compression levels can be applied targeting specific muscles or areas of the body, optimising performance for the wearer.

Bimal Silva, head of Strategic Business Unit (seamless) and chief innovation officer at Urmi Group, said this segment of apparel has gained significant popularity, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, as people worldwide have become more health-conscious and physically active.

Becoming a big name

Bangladesh holds the position of being the second largest apparel exporting country globally, with a focus on five main items in its product basket. Around 80% of Bangladesh's total apparel exports consist of shirts, T-shirts, trousers, jackets, and sweaters.

Faiaz Rahman, director of Urmi Group, said through dedicated research and development, skill sets, and a committed team, Urmi Group has successfully established itself as a leader in producing seamless athleisure garments.

The seamless unit of Urmi Group has a monthly production capacity of 700,000 pieces. The unit has emerged as one of the largest global suppliers for renowned athleisure brand Puma, as well as for Auchan, a French high-end retailer.

Additionally, the company produces athleisure garments for M&S and H&M.

An especial production facility

The seamless athleisure production facility of Urmi Group features a fully air-conditioned production floor that maintains a dust-free environment.

Faiaz Rahman said the production of seamless apparel is distinct from traditional cutting and sewing methods employed in other garment factories. It is a total application-based apparel technology that sets it apart.

"The designers develop the product in detail. The finalised design is then transferred to the machine using a pen drive. During production, operators primarily oversee the process, ensuring smooth operations," said M Rifat Kamal, manager, Product Development and Operations at Urmi seamless unit.

Rifat added that designers also incorporate advanced features such as wicking, antibacterial properties, friction-free elements, and even fragrances into the garments using a seamless panel.

"This enables the garments to withstand a specified number of usages while maintaining their functionality and performance," he said.

Director Faiaz Rahman said the price of a seamless machine is approximately Tk60 lakh. This amount is sufficient to purchase conventional garment machines for a ten-line capacity setup.

A shift to Asia from Europe

While initially originating in Europe, the seamless technology has gradually been adopted by countries in Asia and other regions of the world.

Currently, the production of seamless garments is primarily dominated by countries such as China, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Turkey.

Bimal Silva said there are around 40,000 seamless machines being used in the textile industry worldwide. Among these, China accounts for approximately 20,000 to 25,000 units.

Additionally, there are some machines in Latin America, Turkey, Jordan, and Israel, while the remaining users are located in Vietnam, Sri Lanka, India, and Bangladesh, he added.

The challenges in Bangladesh

Embarking on seamless production in Bangladesh posed its fair share of challenges, said Faiaz Rahman.

Firstly, the investment required for seamless technology is notably high. Secondly, developing a skilled workforce proficient in seamless production was another hurdle to overcome, he said.

Faiaz mentioned that the Urmi's seamless unit is yet to reach its optimum production level.

He said they plan to increase the number of machines to 150 within the next two years.

"We have dedicated significant efforts to Research & Development and innovation, which are gradually bearing fruit. We have received promising customer order projections for seamless products, which is why we are gradually expanding our number of seamless machines," he said.

Recognising that athleisure is a global trend and the future of the industry, Bimal Silva emphasised that as the world's second-largest apparel-producing country, Bangladesh must seize this market opportunity.

He also expressed satisfaction that some other groups are now coming forward to invest in seamless technology, signifying the positive impact they have pioneered for the industry.