Garment, footwear companies promote green production

Environmentally friendly products

As a major textile and garment enterprise in Vietnam, Thanh Cong Textile Garment Investment Trading Joint Stock Company (TCG) has recognized the requirements of major importing countries for green production.

Tran Nhu Tung, Chairman of the Board at TCG, said that since 2017, the company has focused on R&D activities to create environmentally friendly products from recycled materials, such as polyester, viscose, and cotton.

The Thanh Cong Textile Garment Investment Trading Joint Stock Company has taken various measures to reduce

The company has also gradually improved energy efficiency by enhancing management quality and increasing the use of clean and renewable energy sources. It has installed solar power systems for its factories in Vinh Long Province and is preparing to install similar systems for other factories in the near future.

According to Tung, the company is implementing various waste and wastewater treatment programs along with measures to improve chemical management and reduce energy consumption. Instead of using coal, the company is gradually switching to biomass fuel to reduce carbon emissions.

“With every 10 percent of coal replaced with biomass, the company can reduce carbon emissions by 2,500 tonnes annually. Every month, the company updates and publishes these data on its website so that customers and investors can be aware of the company’s emission reduction efforts,” Tung said.

At the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex), the amount of electricity consumed by its member units in 2023 decreased by more than two percent compared to 2022 thanks to the implementation of energy-saving programs and the use of renewable energy in production.

Currently, the total amount of rooftop solar power used by Vinatex’s member units has reached over 17 million kWh, with many units having a rooftop solar power output exceeding two million kWh.

Enhancing use of recycled materials

As one of the pioneers in investing in green factory projects according to LEED and Lutus standards, green manufacturing practices have enabled the TNG Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company (TNG) to gain significant brand value and reputation, while creating environmentally friendly working conditions.

Nguyen Van Thoi, Chairman of the Board at TNG, emphasized that as green trade is an inevitable trend, efforts to reduce carbon emissions will lay the foundation for sustainable development in the future.

According to Thoi, textile and garment companies will face new challenges because major importing countries apply mandatory environmental regulations related to ecological design, recycled products, and textile waste treatment. “Despite high investment costs, green transformation is crucial. TNG will continue efforts to maintain its position in the export market,” Thoi emphasized.

Domestic footwear manufacturers are transforming production to meet importer requirements - photo: Can Dung

Cat Long Company, which exports footwear to the US and Japan, is also gradually transforming production to meet the requirements of importing markets.

Kieu Thi Tam Anh, Director of Cat Long Company, said, “We have been using recycled materials to produce footwear products. Notably, our shoe soles made from rice husks and peanut shells have been exported to Europe for many years.”

Costs remain a significant challenge for companies on their journey towards green practices. According to Tam Anh, shoes with rice husk and peanut shell soles cannot be sold at higher prices compared to products made of normal materials. Moreover, the company does not receive any State support to develop these products.

Even for a large company like TCG, Tran Nhu Tung said, it is a challenge to simultaneously generate revenue and invest in sustainable development because environment-related expenses are not cheap.

Therefore, businesses wish to receive State support through preferential policies related to tax and loan interest rate to invest in green production.