As the first Bangladeshi manufacturer Denim Expert Limited has recently joined the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) and hopes to use the group’s sustainability measurement suite of tools, the Higg Index, to drive environmental and social responsibility across its supply chain.

With its membership in the SAC, the Denim Expert joins more than 220 global brands, retailers, and manufacturers, as well as government, non-profit environmental organizations, and academic institutions, including Addidas, Puma, American Eagle, Disnep, G-star, Levis, Gap, Aldo, United Colors of Beneton, Inditex, C&A, Esprit, H&M, American Apparel & Footwear Foundation, GIZ and WWF which are collectively committed to improving supply chain sustainability in the apparel, footwear, and textile industry.

The Managing Director of Denim Expert Ltd Mostafiz Uddin said that “We are pleased to join the SAC and confident it will have a positive impact on product sustainability over time and become a model for how industries can collaborate in making a positive impact on value chain performance.”

The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), a global alliance of retailers, brands, suppliers, advocacy groups, labor unions and academics, aims to create “an apparel, footwear and home textiles industry that produces no unnecessary environmental harm and has a positive impact on people and communities”.

In its relationship with the SAC, Denim Expert will contribute both data and resources to support the Higg Index, which measures sustainability performance and drives supply chain transparency and decision-making to improve efficiency and sustainability impact. The Higg Index is an indicator-based suite of tools that enables suppliers, manufacturers, brands, and retailers to evaluate materials, products, facilities, and processes based on environmental performance, social labor practices, and product design choices.