The Faces Behind the BESTSELLER – Switch to Upstream Circularity Pilot
Circular economy practices have gained global attention as industries seek to balance economic growth with sustainability. Leading this global shift is the SWITCH to Circular Economy Value Chains (SWITCH2CE) programme, an ambitious initiative led by UNIDO to help industries adopt more sustainable approaches. By promoting low-carbon development, pollution reduction, and green job creation, SWITCH2CE sets a benchmark for how global value chains can transition to circular systems.
In Bangladesh, the Textile & Garments sector plays a critical role in this programme. Here, circularity is not only an environmental imperative but also an important social and economic opportunity for businesses and communities – driving social equity, inclusion, and wellbeing. A key component of SWITCH2CE in Bangladesh is the BESTSELLER – Switch to Upstream Circularity Pilot, supported by Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), and Reverse Resources. This pilot focuses on scaling up traceable textile recycling with local suppliers, capturing and valorising large volumes of post-industrial textile waste. In doing so, it is not only reducing environmental impact but also paving the way for socially responsible and economically viable business models within the textile sector. This contributes to the overall targets of the SWITCH2CE project by reducing the carbon footprint of supply chains, supporting green jobs creation, and driving inclusive industrial transformation.
Driving this transformation are individuals like Asadun Noor, who oversees the overall coordination of global SWITCH2CE activities in Bangladesh for UNIDO, and Mumit Hasan, the Director of Business and Operations for Bangladesh at Reverse Resources, who collaborates with local stakeholders to operationalise circularity on the ground within the BESTSELLER pilot scope. Alongside the pilot’s global and national level partners team, they both work towards the programme’s commitment to fostering innovative solutions, strengthening local supply chains, and advancing sustainable development in the region.
Asadun Noor, National Project Coordinator, UNIDO
As the coordinator of SWITCH2CE activities in Bangladesh, Asadun Noor leads efforts to bridge the gap between EU brands, local suppliers, and policymakers. With over a decade of experience in economic development and sustainable business practices, he focuses on promoting value-based business models, trade facilitation, and private sector engagement. Asadun’s role includes aligning market incentives to catalyse sustainable change, fostering collaboration across stakeholders, and advancing innovative solutions within the textile and garments sector. For example, he works to facilitate collaboration between research and impact organisations and national bodies and is the UNIDO representative for all Bangladesh Ministry of Commerce engagements.
Mumit Hasan, Director of Business and Operations for Bangladesh, Reverse Resources
As the Director of Business and Operations for Bangladesh at Reverse Resources, Mumit Hasan leads the on-the-ground post-industrial textile waste segregation at facilities and the registrations of the textile waste on the Reverse Resource Platform. Reverse Resources is a pioneering SaaS platform dedicated to digitising and scaling global textile-to-textile recycling. By connecting manufacturers, waste handlers, and recyclers, the platform ensures efficient waste traceability and promotes circular practices across the supply chain. With over a decade of experience as a textile engineer working with global brands, Mumit plays a pivotal role in executing the pilot, delivering training to empower stakeholders, and establishing sustainable waste management systems that align with global best practices.
Asadun Noor:
“The SWITCH2CE programme is designed to assist EU multinational companies and their suppliers in adopting circular economy practices. It focuses on three value chains: Plastic Packaging, Textile & Garments, and ICT & Electronics. Our overall objective is to support the transition to a circular economy, including to contribute to sustainable growth, low carbon and climate-resilient development, decent jobs creation, and safer, healthier, and pollution-free environment. SWITCH2CE achieves this by piloting innovative models throughout the value chain, fostering collaboration between multinationals and their suppliers, and advancing policy research and dialogue. By strengthening the capacity of the private sector and financial institutions, the programme not only drives environmentally sustainable practices but also enhances the sector’s competitiveness through green innovations.”
Mumit Hasan:
“Within the scope of the BESTSELLER – Switch to Upstream Circularity Pilot, Reverse Resources serves as the primary technology provider for tracing post-industrial waste streams generated from Bestseller’s supply chains in Bangladesh. Using the Reverse Resources platform, waste data is collected and analysed, with the on-ground expertise of the Reverse Resources team directly informing project activities and driving expected outcomes. The insights gained through digital tracing not only support the pilot’s implementation but also leverage Reverse Resources extensive experience in building and maintaining efficient waste feedstock supply chains in Bangladesh and other regions.”
Asadun Noor:
“A key issue is sufficient financing, infrastructure, and waste governance. The lack of adequate recycling facilities for blended post-industrial textiles and inefficiencies in waste supply chain management hinder the efficient processing of waste into regenerated materials. Industry awareness and commitment also remain significant hurdles. Many stakeholders have a limited understanding of the benefits of circular textiles, which impacts their willingness to invest in transformative practices. Developing practical business models with local and international value chain actors is essential to address this gap. Economic constraints pose another challenge. Manufacturers often view investments in sustainable technologies as expensive and less profitable. Tailored financial arrangements from local and international financiers could help mitigate this issue. The absence of supportive policies and regulatory frameworks further complicates the transition, as businesses lack incentives or guidelines to adopt circular models. Additionally, quality and standards at local recycling plants remain a barrier, with recycled materials often failing to meet production requirements for brands. This highlights the need for innovative technologies and brand support to promote consumer acceptance of sustainable alternatives. Finally, behavioural change and skill development are critical. Traditional practices in sorting, segregating, and recycling often impede progress. Addressing these requires a shift in mindset, enhanced technical expertise, financial incentives and support, and comprehensive training in circular economy principles for both workers and management.”
Mumit Hasan:
“One of the main challenges we face in implementing circular practices is resistance from local informal pressure groups and a lack of awareness among stakeholders. Many still operate with a fixed mindset, which makes establishing new processes difficult. However, Bangladesh, as the second-largest producer of garments, offers significant opportunities due to the availability of standardized waste. Through close collaboration with project partners, we have been able to extend the network of waste handlers and begin working with them more transparently. This progress highlights the potential for scaling circularity by fostering trust and partnerships within the value chain.”
Asadun Noor:
“One of our significant achievements has been generating policy attention through the pilot’s learnings and research. By engaging with policymakers through dialogues and research findings, we successfully influenced the Ministry of Commerce to include circular economy recommendations in the upcoming export policy for 2024–2027. This is a milestone in embedding circularity into national policies. Additionally, we’ve seen growing support and commitment from the textile and garment industry. Several manufacturers have embraced circular practices, participating in awareness and capacity-building initiatives focused on sorting, segregating, and implementing traceability tools. These efforts mark important progress at the industry level.
Our partnerships and collaborations have also been pivotal. Stakeholders from businesses, government agencies, and civil society are working together to promote circular strategies, fostering innovation and strengthening the sector’s resilience. Moreover, recycling innovation programmes have emerged, with startups and local businesses creating new products from textile waste. This has attracted international support, including funding and technical assistance, amplifying the impact of SWITCH2CE. Through the BESTSELLER pilot, we’ve onboarded 15 suppliers who are circulating waste via traceability platforms, developed training materials, and laid the groundwork for green jobs. These efforts underscore the transformative potential of circularity in Bangladesh’s textile industry.”
Asadun Noor:
“The primary objective of the SWITCH2CE project is to demonstrate that circular economy business models and technologies can be both technically feasible and economically viable. This involves fostering new partnerships and coordinating efforts across different actors in the value chain. If we look to scale these new approaches across the value chain, several institutional challenges need to be addressed. Adapting regulatory frameworks at various authority levels is critical, as is introducing incentive schemes, such as tailored taxation mechanisms. Additionally, creating suitable financial instruments will allow capital to flow, addressing the investment needs necessary to drive the replication and expansion of these circular economy models.”
Mumit Hasan:
“The next steps for Reverse Resources in the BESTSELLER – Switch to Upstream Circularity Pilot focus on strengthening traceable waste supply chains. This includes expanding our work to engage additional manufacturers, such as fabric mills, and disseminating learnings to local and international stakeholders. Collaborating with recyclers will also be key to finding optimal solutions for scaling circular practices. Scaling the project further will require policy engagement, collaboration with manufacturers’ associations, and involving more brands to drive broader adoption of circular models. One of the key lessons we’ve learned is the critical role brands play in establishing circular processes within the supply chain. Additionally, addressing gaps like the inclusion of informal waste collectors and increasing their participation will be essential for achieving sustainable and scalable impact.”
As we closely monitor fashion’s global legislative evolution, we zoom into GFA’s Policy Matrix: Americas and EU editions, offering clarity and updates on emerging and existing legislation.
As we mark International Women’s Day, it is important to reflect on the persistent gender inequalities embedded in the fashion industry—an industry powered predominantly by women yet largely led by men.
Welcome to the second edition of "The Policy Pulse" where we dive deep into discussions with some of the most relevant policymakers who are playing a key role in defining the future of the textile industry.
