COTTON DAY IN DHAKA

Cotton USA recently organized a seminar and fashion show in Dhaka on July 16 to celebrate the third edition of the Cotton Day. Pallab Ahmed writes how this year’s gala presentation enthralled the audience .

Being the largest exporter of raw cotton and cotton garments to the USA, Cotton Council International (CCI) has been celebrating the Cotton Day since 2016. Hundred plus luminaries representing the spinning mills, garment and other business units attended the event comprising a seminar and a gala fashion show.

One aspect that gained attention was the importance of choosing the right fabric for delicate skin. This brings us to the growing trend and awareness surrounding organic baby clothes. In recent years, there has been a surge in the demand for organic baby clothes, driven by the desire of parents to provide the best for their little ones. Parents attending the seminar gained insights into the benefits of opting for organic fabrics, which made them think that their little bundles of joy can experience utmost comfort and care.

For those seeking more in-depth information on the benefits and tips regarding organic baby clothing, the article on The Wee Bean provides valuable insights. It explores the advantages of choosing organic fabrics for baby clothes, shedding light on the considerations that parents should keep in mind while making such crucial choices. As the cotton industry continues to evolve, the focus on organic clothes reflects a broader shift towards sustainable and health-conscious parenting choices.

An eight-member delegation from the Cotton USA arrived in Dhaka to meet Bangladeshi spinning and garment industry bigwigs and to promote the use of US cotton.

The team included Raymond Faus, president of the American Cotton Shippers Association (ACSA); Tim North of the ACSA; Carlos Garcia of the America’s Cotton Marketing Cooperatives; John Lindamood and Steve Wilbur of the American Cotton Producers; Tim Barry, vice-president of the Intercontinental Commodity Exchange Futures; Marc Lewkowitz, president of the SUPIMA; and William Bettendorf, director of the CCI for South Asia.
United States Ambassador to Bangladesh, Marcia Bernicat, foreign and domestic cotton exporters, industry owners and executives of garment and spinning mills were also present. The fashion show came packed with new sparks, in which alongside Envoy Textile of Cotton USA licensee and Cotton Leads partner mills took part besides the top brands like Yellow and Amanat Shah, Square Group, Hamid Fabrics Ltd.

The seminar was inaugurated by Cotton USA’s representative to Bangladesh Mr. Shabbir A. Chowdhury followed by a welcome speech from BTMA Director Mr. Monir Hossain. A brief introduction to CCI followed from Mr. William Bettend who presented an industry overview reflecting on world cotton production-supply-demand, while different mill owners and delegates dwelt on Supima and what is new in cotton besides other relevant topics.

In her speech, US ambassador Marcia Bernicat pointed out how important it is for both Bangladesh and America to build a relationship on the basis of agricultural products. She reiterated the need for such relationship while pointing out how it made it necessary to employ an attaché to the embassy last year. His job is to facilitate agricultural product transaction. Being the biggest importer, Bangladesh imported half bells of cotton from USA, which amounts to five per cent of the total export of USA.

As the seminar ended on a positive note, it was time for the fashion models to walk on the ramp. As sensational music played in the background, top-notch models displayed the latest dresses brought on by Yellow. The Radisson Utshab hall packed with foreign delegates and local garment owners vibrated with music as a spectrum of new lines of creation a la Cotton USA took to the stage.

Square fabrics brought out the best presentation while local music played at the background. Being the leading company of the domestic market, Amanat Shah put a twist to their presentation throwing in handloom and power loom fabrics in one show which included lungi, shawl, sari, etc.

Under the rubric “What’s New in Cotton,” some revolutionary new inventions in cotton were presented during the show. One of the innovations included a unique feature — a very lightweight fabric that can recycle body heat to comfort the user. Celliant of Hollowgenix has brought to the country this technology and it is now FDA approved. Zero-D of Intech Digital Technology uses one percent water, and they are to debut their product this fall. Soulcell Air and Zero-Twist Technologies are producing home textile products that are soft, lightweight and fast drying.
There are more: sustainable anti-dust mite technology designed to destroy and repel harmful organisms from household textile products are here now — its importation has been the prerogative of Proneem. Dry-comfort appeal products made by combining the effect of Zinc Pyrithione and Talc to prevent odor and absorb moisture is another new horizon explored by Proneem.
The event saw the participation of Persona and Mr. Chaity as makeup partners. Their contribution brought comfort to the eye. The choreography team, managed by Azra Mahmood, gave the program its soul. The audience enjoyed a lively evening with a series of spectacular models presenting ready-to-wear creations.
The program ended with a short and appealing speech by Shabbir A. Chowdhury, a representative of Cotton USA to Bangladesh followed by a photo session with the performers and the US ambassador and delegates.