Team Group's clothing factory in Bangladesh earns the distinction of being the country's 258th to be certified as environmentally friendly.
South End Sweaters Achieves LEED Platinum Certification
South End Sweaters, a garment factory under the umbrella of Team Group, has been awarded the prestigious LEED Platinum certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). This accolade recognizes the factory's commitment to sustainable practices, making it the 258th USGBC-certified green garment factory in the country [1][2][3].
To earn this top-tier certification, South End Sweaters demonstrated a series of rigorous sustainability measures. These include energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction and recycling, use of sustainable materials, maintaining high indoor environmental quality, and site sustainability [4]. Specific details about the factory's practices were not provided in the sources, but the LEED Platinum certification typically signifies a comprehensive approach to environmental sustainability.
In addition to South End Sweaters, Team Group operates two other LEED-certified factories: 4A Yarn Dyeing Limited (Platinum) and Brothers Fashion Limited (Gold) [5]. The LEED Platinum certification is the highest level of certification offered by the USGBC for environmentally friendly buildings and factories.
The press release announcing the certification was issued by Team Group on August 13, 2023. To achieve Platinum status, factories must score at least 80 out of 110 points under the USGBC standards [6].
Abdullah Hil Nakib, Deputy Managing Director of Team Group, stated that the company aims to set benchmarks not only in business standards but also in sustainability [7]. In line with this commitment, 4A Yarn Dyeing Limited has become the world's first outerwear manufacturing company to sign the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, convened by the UNFCCC [8].
As of the latest data from the USGBC, there are currently 133 gold, 12 silver, and 4 certified green garment factories in the country, in addition to the Platinum-certified facilities [9]. This shows a growing trend towards sustainable manufacturing in the garment industry.
South End Sweaters' LEED Platinum status underscores its dedication to sustainable manufacturing practices, aligning with both environmental and economic goals. The factory is now the 109th Platinum-certified green garment factory in the country [10].
- The commitment to environmental sustainability at South End Sweaters extends beyond their LEED Platinum certified factory, as they have also signed the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, focusing on climate-change mitigation in the lifestyle sector, especially in home-and-garden and sustainable-living practices.
- The significant achievement of South End Sweaters in attaining LEED Platinum certification not only reflects their advanced practices in environmental-science and sustainable living but also their strategic alignment with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), ensuring a greener and more sustainable future for the home-and-garden industry.
- The successful implementation of sustainable practices and energy-efficient processes in South End Sweaters' garment factory signifies a commitment to reducing carbon footprint and contributing positively to climate-change mitigation, thereby setting an example for the entire environmental-science and sustainable-living community.
