How can clothing manufacturers enable ecological change? And how can they do this in a nationally coordinated, structured and country-specific way? For this purpose, the manufacturer-led platform ATTI (Apparel and Textile Transformation Initiative) was designed a few years ago and was officially founded as an organization in 2025. Their progress in pilot projects in Bangladesh and Turkey was discussed at a side meeting of the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector on Monday, February 9, 2026.
Olivia Windham-Stewart opened the session by introducing ATTI as a critical development in the global apparel sector. The independent human rights and environmental sustainability consultant stressed that the initiative aims to replace “fragmented, brand-driven standards” with a “unified, nationally coherent” approach. ATTI’s core philosophy is to go beyond mere compliance and to pursue deeper, more systemic ecological change.
“We’re trying very hard to move the approach away from just compliance. We want to develop a platform that allows manufacturers themselves to identify the priorities for the industry,” explained Windham-Stewart. She highlighted the initiative’s unique position as a manufacturer-led program, which is also supported by the International Clothing Federation (IAF) and the International Association of Textile Manufacturers (ITMF).
Empowering manufacturers in the context: Bangladesh
Vidiya Khan, Vice President of Garment Manufacturers and Exporters of Bangladesh (BGMEA), highlighted the importance of manufacturers’ leadership in a landscape often dictated by external demands. She sees ATTI as a platform that empowers local industry associations to advocate for their own interests and priorities. For Khan, the initiative is about reclaiming the narrative of Bangladesh’s garment sector. The aim is to ensure that transformation efforts are based on the actual capacities and challenges of local factories.
To ensure the success of the initiative, the Bangladesh branch led by BGMEA and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) commissioned a comprehensive needs assessment. This is intended to identify specific obstacles to progress. This data-driven approach is intended to provide the association with the necessary evidence to effectively engage with brands and the government. Khan emphasized the self-directed nature of this work: “This is about manufacturers generating insights for manufacturers. This is how we ensure that our strategies are based on the realities and priorities of the industry.”
Diagnostic methods and evidence-based planning
Mahmudul Hasan from Engineering Resources International (ERI), the Bangladeshi consulting firm supporting ATTI in Bangladesh, explained the approach used to conduct the needs assessment in Bangladesh. This is divided into two different phases: evidence and diagnostics, followed by validation and prioritization. This rigorous framework ensures that the final transformation plan is not based on assumptions, but on a nuanced understanding of the current state of the sector. Five key areas were identified: data, capacity, technology, finance and policy.
A critical element of this assessment is the inclusion of perspectives from across the management spectrum. This ensures a holistic view of the operational processes in the factories. By surveying both senior and middle management, the project captures a balance between overarching strategy and day-to-day implementation hurdles. “This structure allows us to capture both strategic and operational perspectives,” explained Hasan. This is essential to identify realistic paths for systemic change.
Groundbreaking implementation in context: Türkiye
Mehmet Kaya, Chairman of the Sustainability Department of the Istanbul Garment Exporters Association (ITHIB), shared insights from the Turkish pilot project, which has already moved to the solution development phase. Turkey has already conducted its needs assessment in early 2025 and is now developing a prototype transformation plan. This focuses on energy, water and wastewater. This work is deeply embedded in ITHIB’s broader sustainability strategy and involves a wide range of local stakeholders, including government ministries and national industry associations.
The Turkish model introduces three different implementation approaches: transversal, systemic and tailored. This allows for flexibility depending on whether a business is located within an organized industrial zone or not. These models reflect the structural complexity of the Turkish industry. They aim to effectively scale solutions across the sector. Kaya emphasized the importance of practical implementation over theoretical goals: “The key methodological question is not just what and which interventions to apply, but rather how to implement them effectively and at scale.”
Collaboration and the future of due diligence in the industry
In the final discussion, the speakers addressed the crucial role of brands and governments in the transformation process. They argued that while manufacturers are taking the lead, brands need to go beyond individual pilots. They should commit to shared responsibility, especially when it comes to investments and long-term goals. The discussion highlighted that ATTI makes due diligence more effective as the initiative provides a platform for real dialogue rather than a checklist of external requirements. This ensures that environmental goals are achieved without jeopardizing economic profitability.
The event concluded with a call for more global collaboration and the expansion of the ATTI model to other production centers. By leveraging the expertise of national associations, the industry can create more resilient and sustainable supply chains that reflect local conditions. Moving forward, the success of these manufacturer-led initiatives will depend on a paradigm shift. As the presenters suggested, “transformation priorities need to be coordinated nationally to reduce fragmentation and duplication so that we can combine our efforts.”
Further information about the initiative’s timeline, phases, structure and approach can be found on the official website at attransformation.org.
This article was created using digital tools translated.
FashionUnited uses artificial intelligence to speed up the translation of articles and improve the end result. They help us to make FashionUnited’s international reporting quickly and comprehensively accessible to a German-speaking readership. Articles translated using AI-based tools are proofread and carefully edited by our editors before they are published. If you have any questions or comments, please email [email protected]
