Five new Bangladeshi readymade garment factory units have achieved the United States Green Building Council鈥檚 (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, bringing the total number of LEED-certified factories in the country to 258.
Of the 258 green factories, 109 are platinum-rated, 133 are gold-rated, 12 are silver-rated, and four are certified, according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
In August, Ashulia-based聽South End Sweater Company Ltd obtained a platinum certificate under the LEED BD+C: New Construction v4 rating system, achieving聽a score of 85.
Moreover, the Sirajganj-based Purbani Fashion Ltd also achieved a platinum certificate under the LEED O+M: Existing Buildings v4.1 rating system.聽Both factory units obtained a score of 83.
KDS Fashion Ltd, a factory based in Chattogram, has obtained a platinum certificate under the LEED O+M: Existing Buildings v4.1 rating system.聽Both factory units obtained a score of 84.
Mymensingh-based Raidha Collection Limited achieved a platinum certificate under the LEED O+M: Existing Buildings v4.1 rating system.聽Both factory units obtained a score of 90.
In July, Texeurop BD Ltd, a Gazipur-based factory unit, received a gold certificate under the LEED BD+C: New Construction v4 rating system, achieving a score of 70.
So far, 68 of the world鈥檚 top 100 LEED factories, including nine of the top 10 and 18 of the top 20, are in Bangladesh.
This success is expected to attract new investment and partnerships, reinforcing Bangladesh鈥檚 position as a sustainable manufacturing hub.
According to industry insiders, a total of 550 factories were awaiting the USGBC鈥檚 LEED certification.
The factories of Bangladesh have been obtaining the LEED certificate since 2011.
The USGBC honours factories based on several criteria: transformation performance, energy, water, and waste management. The best performers are rated platinum, followed by gold and silver.
According to industry insiders, these criteria enable green factories to significantly reduce operational costs over time, even though they may initially incur higher setup costs.
Mohiuddin Rubel, managing director of Bangladesh Apparel Exchange and former director of the BGMEA, said that as the world increasingly prioritised ESG performance and sustainability in supply chains, this milestone enhanced the country鈥檚 global image.
He also said that this achievement comes at a time when the industry was navigating significant headwinds, including just settled US reciprocal tariff issues and domestic setbacks, both political, financial, and energy-related.
鈥楬owever, in the face of such pressures, our entrepreneurs continue to invest in sustainable infrastructure and practices, demonstrating extraordinary resilience and long-term vision,鈥� he added.
According to apparel manufacturers, the move towards green factory buildings helped regain Bangladesh鈥檚 image after the Rana Plaza tragedy, which claimed 1,134 lives and left more than 2,000 injured.