Apparel Online India Magazine December 1st Issue 2018 | Page 16

SUSTAINABILITY
ASOS among seven new companies
dedicated to ZDHC
UK-based renowned online
fashion retailer, ASOS is amongst
the seven new companies and
associates that have committed to
the Zero Discharge of Hazardous
Chemicals (ZDHC) programme.
ASOS, headquartered in London,
is a global fashion destination
for 20-something. The brand
sells more than 87,000 ASOS and
branded products via localised
app and mobile/desktop-based
web experiences, serving
about 18.4 million customers
from fulfilment centres in the
UK, the US and Europe. It has
joined ZDHC roadmap to Zero
Programme as a signatory brand.
Getting associated with ZDHC,
these organisations commit to
a strengthened responsibility
towards better chemical
management practices. The
affiliates will also adopt the
ZDHC tools including ZDHC
input. With Sustainable Textile
Solutions (STS), we onboard
one of our accredited training
providers.”
Manufacturing Restricted
Substances List (ZDHC MRSL)
and the ZDHC Wastewater
Guidelines and apply them into
their value chains. ZDHC is
bringing together leading global
apparel and footwear brands
such as Adidas, Benetton, C&A,
Gap Inc., H&M and Inditex. The
ZDHC group is working to assist
the industry towards a goal of
reducing the discharge of harmful
chemicals to Zero by 2020. Frank
Michel, Executive Director, ZDHC
mentioned, “We’re happy about the
seven new organisations joining
our efforts. With ASOS, we join
forces with one of the biggest
British online retailers and we’re
looking forward to their expert
Also, Bangladesh-based denim
manufacturer Denim Expert
Limited, Chinese viscose producer
Sateri and India’s Meghmani Dyes
and Intermediates LLP, Eastman
Exports Global Clothing Pvt. Ltd.
and Sustainable Textile Solutions
(STS) are among the other
organisations to join ZDHC as
value chain affiliates. In addition
to this, in July of this year, India’s
two textile giants, Raymond
UCO Denim and Nahar Group
of companies had joined ZDHC
programme so as to fulfil its aim
of eliminating harmful chemicals
across its supply chain by the year
2020. It is worth mentioning that
with the addition of seven new
companies, the total number of
contributors to ZDHC Roadmap
has now reached 116.
CCC targets brands sourcing from Bangladesh
over minimum wage for workers
International labour rights forum
Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC)
has called upon Bangladesh’s
authority to accept the demand for
BDT 16,000 minimum wage for the
apparel workers. In a statement,
16 Apparel Online India |
CCC said the agenda of BDT 16,000
minimum wage is justified and that
it expresses solidarity with the
demand. The workers would not
only be deprived of a living wage
but would suffer additional negative
consequences because the share
of the basic wage component in
the total minimum wage has been
decreased, it said in the statement.
That means workers would be
forced to accept poverty wages
as well as a lower basis for the
calculation of overtime, severance
pay and service and retirement
benefits, it added. “This situation
throws spotlight on the hypocrisy
of many major brands that source
from Bangladesh. All of them tell
the consumers that they respect
the right to a living wage, and pay
lip service only to the importance
of workers’ voice in determining
wage levels,” said Ineke Zeldenrust
of Clean Clothes Campaign. Back
in January this year, Bangladesh
Government formed a board to
DECEMBER 1-15, 2018 | www.apparelresources.com
set fresh pay structure for the
3.6 million readymade garments
workers of the country. Since
then, labour groups have been
campaigning for a minimum
wage of BDT 16,000 to meet the
living wage of a worker – what
the factory owners have been
dubbing ‘illogical’. Now, the board
has hiked the minimum wage
from BDT 5,300 to BDT 8,000. The
new pay structure, that drew flak
from national and international
quarters, will be implemented
from December 2018. Notably, it
has been widely reported that
Bangladesh’s apparel industry
labour is the cheapest in the world
– an advantage that the factory
owners have been using to grow
the industry.