With Bangla on garment tags, Wisdom Attires leads the way

Infographic: TBS

The Bangladeshi apparel exporter Wisdom Attires is causing a stir by the way it labels its products. The apparel maker's tags now feature the words "Bangladeshe Toiri" (Made in Bangladesh) on garments being exported to the Malaysian market. 

In a historic move for the local garment industry, Wisdom has become the first factory to use Bangla on product tags.

Akhter Hossain Apurbo, director of Wisdom Attires, believes the achievement is not only a tribute to the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement but also a source of pride for Bangalees.

Apurbo says he has long been motivated by the language movement and the sacrifices of the language heroes. His unwavering commitment to his vision has finally paid off, and his efforts have created a milestone that will be etched in the history of the Bangladeshi garment industry. 

Additionally, this step taken by Wisdom Attires carries immense significance, given the size and importance of the Bangladesh garment industry, with about 3,000 factories involved in apparel exports, which play a crucial role in the country's economy. 

By using Bangla on its garment tags, Wisdom Attires is setting an example for the rest of the industry to follow and may usher in further innovations in the sector.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) says it now plans to ask all of its members to request that foreign buyers introduce "Made in Bangladesh" in Bangla on their products' care labels, tags, and packaging cartons, according to BGMEA Vice President Shahidullah Azim.  

Apparel makers said as the world's second-largest apparel supplier, Bangladesh may request that all retailers follow suit to show respect to the language movement martyrs and the emotions of their suppliers.

"If any key supplier requests the brands, they [Western retailers] are likely to consider it," Shafiur Rahman, regional operations manager of Dutch fashion retailer G-Star RAW, told The Business Standard.    

According to Ethnologue, Bangla is the 7th most spoken language in the world, and 272.7 million people speak this language as their mother tongue. In 1999, the Unesco General Conference approved 21 February as International Mother Language Day and it has been observed across the world since 2000.

Recognition requires might 

Wisdom Attires exported two containers of garments worth about $2.20 lakh to Malaysia for the Malaysian brand Four Square, which is owned by Wisdom Attires Ltd.   

Wisdom Attires Director Akhter Hossain Apurbo said Wisdom Apparels launched the brand in Malaysia in 2011 after discovering the potential of South Asian markets. 

Apurbo said when the brand got registered in Malaysia, the market did not have any Bangladeshi apparel presence except for some leftovers. The market was completely dominated by Chinese exporters.

But things have changed significantly over the years, he said. The brand has now gained a strong presence in South Asian and Middle Eastern markets. 

Wisdom Attires estimated its exports to the Malaysian market at $1 crore in 2013-2014. The annual export hovers around $60-$70 lakh on average, while the $40 lakh UAE market is increasing gradually.

After gaining a foothold in the Malaysian market, Apurbo moved ahead with his passion for Bangla.

"Also, my father-in-law had been encouraging me to do something in February to mark International Language Day. Finally, we did that on Saturday," he told The Business Standard.

The apparel maker said he has also requested his other foreign buyers to allow the Bangla tags.

Promoting Bangla and growing green as well 

Apart from the love for Bangla, the journey of Wisdom Attires incorporates green apparel manufacturing and building a sustainable workforce.  

After making clothes for the local market for about a decade, Wisdom Attires Limited began exporting in 1988, Apurbo said, sharing the story. 

But the first shipment worth $48000 was a losing concern due to quality issues.

"In 1994-95, we focused on basic items as those have always been like oxygen for the business. This sort of focus shifting helped us manage the export loss and launch a successful fashion brand in the Netherlands," he commented.  

For the past 25 years, Wisdom Attires has been doing business with the Spanish JHK, which occupies about 75% capacity of Wisdom factory that can manufacture one lakh pieces of T-shirts and polo shirts per day.

"It's like we both grew together," said Apurbo. 

In 2014, the company acquired 6 bighas of land alongside its factory and started to build up a green garment. Now Wisdom is a gold-certified green factory.

Aiming at a better workplace for all employees, Wisdom moved forward with green initiatives, which Apurbo said helped increase productivity and reduce employee migration.

"On average, the job tenure of a worker at our factory is ten years. Currently, we have a number of employees who are third-generation Wisdom workers," he told The Business Standard. 

With 2,000 staff members and a $35 million annual export, the company will soon enter the Qatar market.