Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) industry has reached a defining moment in its sustainability journey, securing 38 new LEED-certified green factories in 2025, the highest number recorded globally in a single year. The milestone reinforces Bangladesh’s standing as the world’s leading destination for environmentally responsible apparel manufacturing, industry stakeholders said.

More than the volume, the quality of certifications marks a decisive shift in the industry’s sustainability trajectory. Of the newly certified factories, 22 achieved LEED Platinum, 11 earned Gold, and five received Silver certification. Notably, no factory opted for entry-level certification, highlighting a strategic move away from minimum compliance toward high-performance green manufacturing.

With the latest additions, Bangladesh now hosts 270 LEED-certified garment factories, including 114 Platinum and 137 Gold units, giving the country the highest concentration of top-tier LEED-certified apparel factories in the world. Industry leaders view this dominance as a result of sustained capital investment, policy alignment, and coordinated leadership by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).

The 2025 momentum reflects shifting global sourcing dynamics. As international brands face growing pressure from regulators, investors, and consumers to decarbonize supply chains, Bangladeshi manufacturers are proactively aligning operations with carbon efficiency, water conservation, energy optimization, and climate-resilient factory infrastructure. In this context, LEED certification has evolved from a reputational asset into a strategic sourcing requirement.

Industry insiders note that green-certified factories are increasingly favored in buyer negotiations, long-term sourcing commitments, and premium product categories, strengthening Bangladesh’s competitiveness amid rising compliance costs and margin pressure across global apparel supply chains.

Beyond physical infrastructure, the achievement signals a deeper structural transformation within the RMG sector. In an interview, Mohiuddin Rubel, Former Director, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said the record certification performance demonstrates the industry’s readiness for the next phase of global sustainability governance.

According to Rubel, Bangladesh’s manufacturers are positioning themselves to meet emerging requirements such as EU sustainability regulations, carbon pricing mechanisms, and digital transparency frameworks, while continuing to deliver large-scale production volumes. “The record-breaking performance of 2025 sends a powerful message to the world—Bangladesh is not only the largest apparel exporter, but it is also increasingly one of the greenest and most future-ready,” he said.

Rubel, also Managing Director, Bangladesh Apparel Exchange, and Additional Managing Director, Denim Expert Ltd., added that the next challenge will be integration—linking green-certified factories with low-carbon operations, circular production models, renewable energy adoption, and digital sustainability reporting systems.

Industry observers believe the scale and quality of LEED certifications achieved in 2025 place Bangladesh in a leadership position, not merely responding to global sustainability demands, but actively shaping the future standards of responsible apparel manufacturing.