Professor Mohammad A Momen is the Director of Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka (DU). He is one of the founders of “Pride Group,” a pioneering textile Giant.
“Pride” is the first homegrown fashion & lifestyle brand and also a “Super Brand” of Bangladesh.
How has Pride emerged as a leading textile and apparel brand in Bangladesh over nearly four decades, and what core values and principles have fueled the company's journey towards growth and success?
From the very inception of the Pride Group, we have always emphasised on quality.
We are focused on pursuing a consistent and coherent standard of quality while upholding our culture and heritage.
Delivering products across ladies, men’s and children’s wear and home textiles, our vertically integrated operations, diversified product range, and a strong commitment to sustainable operations, have established Pride® as one of the leading lifestyle brands in the country.
Pride Limited is a people-centric business with a conscientious emphasis on promoting and advancing our brand ethos and ethical working practices across the industry.
What sets Pride Limited apart from other textile and clothing brands in Bangladesh, especially concerning quality, sustainability, and innovation?
Pride Limited has been in the local market for more than three decades. We also manufacture world-class products for the international market.
We maintain separate state of the art production facilities for each market while prioritizing high-quality standards, sustainability, and innovation in each facility.
This sets Pride Limited apart from other brands and is crucial for the future of the company, the brand and the country.
Can you provide details on the sustainable practices or initiatives adopted by Pride Group in its operations?
We practice sustainability in all our manufacturing processes. For example, we minimize our carbon footprint by generating steam from the exhaust of our generators using EGB boilers installed 20-25 years ago.
We collect condensed water from the steam and reuse it in our boilers, reducing energy usage and using distilled water. We also maintain a biological ETP in our textile facilities that converts waste water into clean water which is then recycled in our production.
Practicing sustainability is not a CSR activity for us. It is integral for our brand and is what also makes Pride globally competitive.
How does Pride Limited harmonize traditional craftsmanship with modern manufacturing techniques to produce products that appeal to both local and international consumers?
For our global buyers, we mostly follow our international customers’ designs and plans. They accept local designs and crafts provided if those are interesting to them. There is very little scope for us to incorporate our culture and crafts into said products.
However in the local market, products are targeted at local consumers. There is much scope for us to incorporate our culture and craftsmanship into the product and blend it with sophisticated manufacturing.
We design the product in such a way that it maintains uniqueness but also leverages the efficiency of modern manufacturing.
We have separate facilities to manufacture products for the local and international markets. However, all of our manufactured products have to meet high quality compliance.
What obstacles do local brands face when competing with international counterparts in today's globalised market, particularly in terms of unfair competition and regulatory challenges?
Unscrupulous traders illegally import goods from abroad, many of which are counterfeit, creating unequal competition for local brands. Foreign goods enter the Bangladesh market with due process by paying duties and taxes, but they cannot affect the business of local brands.
Besides, some domestic companies producing products for international brands sell a part of their products in the local market. Local brands are also affected by this. This unequal situation is not at all conducive to the development of local brands.
Regulatory bodies must come forward to create a healthy, competitive environment.
What are the future strategies and ambitions of Pride Limited for advancing growth and innovation within Bangladesh's textile and clothing sector?
We will continue to invest in our brand, in our network and in popularizing our sub-brands. We will also continue to create a few other brands targeting specific customers like the millennials or Gen Zs.
We will expand our brand to improve distribution and manufacturing processes.
How do local brands maintain product quality while staying competitive in the market?
Local brands can ensure the quality of their products while remaining competitive in the market by implementing strict quality control measures throughout the production process, investing in employee training, utilising technology for efficient production, sourcing high-quality materials at competitive prices, and continuously soliciting and acting on customer feedback to improve their products.
In what ways do local brands contribute to the community and economy, especially in terms of employment opportunities and skill development?
Local brands have created a lot of employment opportunities, specifically in the textile sector. There are various stages of any production, and each of them creates a lot of employment opportunities.
The contribution of these local brands into the economy is very significant in terms of generating foreign revenue. They also invested in skill development programmes, training employees in sales, customer service, and other retail-related skills, thereby enhancing the workforce's capabilities and supporting economic growth.
