Audience:
Open industry. All apparel and footwear industry professionals, regardless of AAFA membership, are encouraged to participate.
Description:
This webinar provides an executive debrief of
The Sourcing Times: Bangladesh Report, examining how the country’s apparel and textile sector is evolving beyond its traditional position as a high-volume, low-cost sourcing market. Led by report author Brooke Roberts-Islam, the session explores labor reform and compliance, trade dynamics and LDC graduation, vertigal integration, Tier 2 and 3 sourcing opportunities, circularity, renewable energy and manufacturing innovation.
Attendees of this webinar will learn:
- How Bangladesh is evolving beyond a high-volume, low-cost sourcing market.
- To identify key opportunities across compliance, vertical integration, circularity and Tier 2/3 sourcing.
- To apply practical criteria to assess sourcing decisions through capability, resilience and total landed cost.
Speakers:
Brooke Roberts-Islam
Journalist and Consultant
Techstyler
Writer (Forbes, Business of Fashion), author (Penguin), broadcaster (BBC) and communications and business consultant (Techstyler). Currently consulting for some of fashion's most innovative brands, startups, manufacturers and non-profits through Techstyler. Also a mentor and advisor providing strategic business advice to early stage fashion and materials science companies.
Assef Shaikh
Chief Executive Officer
Harnest
Assef Shaikh is the Chief Executive Officer of Harnest, a Bangladesh-based, vertically integrated manufacturer of threads, elastics, yarns, trims, labels and packaging supplying apparel brands globally. Under his leadership, the family-heritage business has evolved into a large-scale, technologically advanced manufacturing platform, with monthly capacities exceeding 1,000 tonnes of sewing thread, 800 tonnes of covered yarn and millions of trim and packaging components.
AAFA Host:
Audrey Clark
Manager, Trade and Transportation
AAFA
Audrey Clark is responsible for supporting the association’s trade policy efforts and leading the Transportation Team as the committee liaison. Prior to joining AAFA in November 2023, Audrey worked as Export Program Coordinator at the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS) where she managed eight international export promotion campaigns and supported four DISCUS committees. She previously worked at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) where she was awarded the Pearce Prize Achievement Award and served as Program Coordinator for Streaming & Broadcasting. She has earned both her bachelor’s and master's degrees in International Affairs from Georgia Tech.
Unable to join on November 16?
Register for the webinar to receive an email containing the direct link to access the recording of the webinar and the PDF version of the presentation. The email will be sent 1-3 business days after the webinar.
CONTACT | QUESTIONS
Stephanie Paendong