In its endeavour to boost Vietnam’s apparel and textile sector, the International Finance Corporation, or IFC, is implementing the Vietnam Improvement Program (VIP).
The objective behind this program is to empower the garment and textile firms in Vietnam to upgrade their machinery so as to make them more energy-efficient and sustainable.
IFC believes continual focus on enhancing machinery will help in making the companies globally competitive and consequently increase their revenue.
The VIP closely works with apparel, textile and footwear factories that supply to big retailers, with the intent to enhance resource efficiency in the sector.
According to IFC, since 2016, VIP has helped 70 local factories invest US $ 26 million in resource efficiency and thereby helped them in saving US $ 24 million in water, energy and chemical operating costs.
IFC helped Phong Phu International (PPJ), a denim stalwart in Vietnam, buy laser machines to ‘dry process’ denim clothes. The new laser machines helped PPJ dry 300 jeans in a day (from 20 to 30 previously) and also saved workers from harmful chemicals.
PPJ not only cut its energy consumption by nearly 7 million kW hours annually, but also use 200,000 cubic meters less water per year. More importantly, it helped the company earn US $ 700,000 every year.
Once VIP’s recommendations are fully implemented in next 3 years, the investment of US $ 40 million could save 4 million cubic meters of water and curb 7,88,500 tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year.
IFC claims that if this happens, energy consumption in this industry could reduce nationwide by 30 per cent.
Like PPJ, Samil Vina Co. Ltd., too, on IFC’s recommendations, bought latest dyeing machines to save water and energy and ever since the improvements have been visible.
