DESIGN for EXPORT-ORIENTED PRODUCTION in
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
– Case Bangladesh
Norsk Form
Design without Borders 2003
1. SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................. 4
2. DESIGN without BORDERS ..................................................................................................... 5
3. BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................... 6
4. DESIGN ...................................................................................................................................... 7
4.1. FASHION DESIGN .............................................................................................................. 7
4.2. TEXTILE DESIGN ............................................................................................................... 7
4.3. GRAPHIC OR MULTIMEDIA DESIGN ............................................................................... 8
4.4. INDUSTRIAL OR PRODUCT DESIGN ............................................................................... 8
5. DESIGN IN BANGLADESH ....................................................................................................... 9
5.1. DESIGN POLICY ................................................................................................................ 9
5.2. THE DESIGN PROFESSION ............................................................................................ 10
5.2.1. Fashion designers .......................................................................................................... 10
5.2.2. Textile designers ............................................................................................................ 10
5.2.3. “Crafts designers” ........................................................................................................... 10
5.2.5. Industrial designers ........................................................................................................ 10
5.3. DESIGN EDUCATION ...................................................................................................... 11
5.4. DIFFERENT CONCEPTS OF DESIGN ............................................................................ 12
6. JUTE ......................................................................................................................................... 13
6.1. JUTE DIVERSIFICATION ................................................................................................. 13
6.2 THE JUTE MILLS ............................................................................................................... 14
6.3. JUTE AND THE SMALL BUSINESSES ............................................................................ 15
6.4. THE NORAD PROJECT “THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE JUTE INDUSTRY IN
BANGLADESH” ........................................................................................................................ 16
7. THE POTENTIAL ROLE of DESIGNERS in EXPORT-ORIENTED PRODUCTION in
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ........................................................................................................ 18
7.1. DESIGN IS A NECESSARY, BUT NOT SUFFICIENT SUCCESS FACTOR ................... 18
7.2. STRENGTHENING THE DESIGN PROFESSION ........................................................... 19
7.3. USING INTERNATIONAL DESIGNERS ........................................................................... 19
8. PROJECT PROPOSAL ............................................................................................................ 21
8.1. INPUT FROM THE LOGICAL FRAMEWORK APPROACH ............................................. 21
8.2. OTHER PROJECT INPUT ................................................................................................ 30
9. PLAN OF ACTION ................................................................................................................... 32
10. LITERATURE ......................................................................................................................... 33
11. ENCLOSURES ....................................................................................................................... 34
11.1. THE DESIGN PROCESS ................................................................................................ 34
11.2. CRAFTS .......................................................................................................................... 35
11.3. DESIGN EDUCATION .................................................................................................... 36
11.4. BANGLADESH JUTE RESEARCH INSTITUTE (BJRI) .................................................. 37
11.5. SEDF – SOUTH ASIA ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT FACILITY ............................... 38
The goal of development assistance is to make countries and organizations independent of help. To
achieve this goal, we must direct our efforts at reducing our partner countries’ dependence on
development assistance. We cannot help to put together an offer of services without asking ourselves
whether the recipient will be able to finance these services itself in the future.
This is the reason why we have to give more attention to activities which generate income. We must
contribute to long-term sustainable development by focusing more on the income side. We must help
our partner countries to obtain their own revenues through support to private sector development and
through effective tax systems, which exploit the potential in the countries.
Norad 2000 - Creation of Value and Mobilization of National Resources
1. SUMMARY
Design without Borders as a program is mainly utilizing the skills of the industrial
designer. Industrial design is the professional service of creating and developing concepts
and specifications that optimize the function, value and appearance of products and systems
for the mutual benefit of both user and manufacturer.
In Bangladesh, the design profession is small and loosely organised. It needs strengthening
if export-oriented production is going to succeed in competing on international markets.
There does not seem to be a governmental design policy in Bangladesh. Design education
hardly exists and then mainly in private universities. The concept of design is to be “giving
an object form” and the understanding of design as a strategic management tool is not
widespread.
The jute industry needs to face the growing competition using design skills. Apparently,
commercialization, not diversification, is the major problem. Unfortunately, cooperation
between R & D and the jute manufacturers is not well developed.
The jute mills need volume sales and they want to concentrate on value adding. There are
large markets in areas for thread and weave in, for instance, geo- and agro textiles, where
industrial designers can play an important role in developing new strategies and new
products.
NCCB (The National Crafts Council of Bangladesh) expresses a strong interest in product
development with jute and jute blends on behalf of the small businesses. These businesses
are especially interested in reaching high end export markets using international designers.
Design without Borders would prefer to work with private sector in Bangladesh. Looking
at the prospect of new export-oriented projects, it is important to see that design is a
necessary, but not sufficient success factor. In Chapter 7 DwB presents an analysis of
problems, stakeholders, objectives, risk and success factors, using the LFA-method. This
analysis is preliminary, as the stakeholders in Bangladesh have so far not been involved in
the process. We are hoping to involve them in a project planning period in 2005. A plan of
action is presented in Chapter 8.
4
2. DESIGN without BORDERS
Design without Borders (DwB) is a development programme founded on the belief that
design and designers can make a significant contribution towards a better and more
sustainable society.
Design without Borders is initiated and run by Norsk Form, the Norwegian Centre for
Design and Architecture.
The programme generally aims to integrate designers’ creative and analytical skills in the
development of solutions in developing countries and areas of emergency. DwB initiates
development of products and product systems with an emphasis on long term development
issues, GAP and emergency issues, environmental issues and economical sustainability.
The programme also aims to create meeting points between problem owners and
professional problem solvers, and to be a catalyst for cooperation and development of new
products and services.
The program participates in projects where:






The need for development is identified with NGOs, governmental organisations
and/or end-users of the solution
Design methodology is an essential part in the development process
The project is built upon cooperation and partnership between relevant knowledge
and interest-groups
The project is focused towards the final result and has a considerable potential to
achieve that stage
Innovation characterize the project or essential parts in the project
Ecological and economical sustainability are core-values, expressed in the project
aims
5
3. BACKGROUND
The Norwegian Development Agency, Norad, has expressed a need for closer cooperation
with an environment with resources and knowledge about the use of design as a tool in
development projects. Design without Borders, which until now has not worked with
export-oriented projects, has welcomed this chance of combining the specialist knowledge
of the industrial designer with the needs of export-oriented production in developing
countries.
National Crafts Council of Bangladesh (NCCB) contacted early in 2003 The Norwegian
Embassy in Dhaka with plans for actions to strengthen awareness of the textile traditions of
Bangladesh and to boost the textile crafts sector. Activities included publication of a book,
an exhibition and workshops.
“Design without Borders” (DwB) was asked to see how our development program would
be able to contribute in such a context. Norad´s ASN department in addition expressed an
interest in suggestions from DwB as to the further development of the results of the Norad
jute project which was ending in June 2003.
DwB hired a consultant, Trine Thommessen, who undertook a facts finding travel to
Bangladesh in May/June 2003. Her findings are summarized in a report on textile
production in Bangladesh, focusing particularly on design and product development related
to textile crafts and jute fibre, and on design education.
In October 2003, Sarah Knutslien from Design without Borders joined Trine Thommessen
on a second trip to Dhaka. The purpose of the second trip was stated in the ToR (Terms of
Reference):


Survey the potential for employing industrial designers from DwB in an export
oriented project for business development in Bangladesh, focusing on the jute
industry.
Evaluate DwB’s possibilities for contributing in a project with NCCB in their
efforts for the crafts sector.
This report (written by Trine Thommessen) is summing up the impressions from the travels
to Dhaka, attempting to transform them into practical project proposals.
6
4. DESIGN
Design is everywhere - and that's why looking for a definition may not help you grasp what it is.
Design Council (UK)
The single word 'design' encompasses a lot, and therefore the search for a single definition
often leads to lengthy debate. So it is that the word design has many meanings, one is
“giving form”, another emphasizes “construction” and yet another, “product development”.
There are broad definitions and specific ones - both have drawbacks. Either they're too
general to be meaningful or they exclude too much.
Design could be viewed as an activity that translates an idea into a blueprint for something
useful, whether it's a car, a building, a graphic, a service or a process. The important part is
the translation of the idea, though design's ability to spark the idea in the first place
shouldn't be overlooked. Designers learn that ideas that may seem strange are worth
exploring and that the 'common-sense' solution is not always the right one. Designers often
hit on counter-intuitive concepts through methods such as drawing, prototyping,
brainstorming and user testing.
If management believes that design activities are “activities that form an outer shape of
products”, the idea of design as “activities contributing to forming the image and brand of
products at various contact points with customers” is often neglected. The use of design as
a strategic tool is a management responsibility. A key issue for management is to use
designers to establishing brands.
Scientists can invent technologies, manufacturers can make products, engineers can make
them function and marketers can sell them, but only designers can combine insight into all
these things and turn a concept into something that's desirable, viable, commercially
successful and adds value to people's lives.1
4.1. FASHION DESIGN
Fashion design is applied in the garments industry as well in haute couture. As the name
implies, fashion design is about designing apparel and fashion accessories. A fashion
designer knows fashion illustration, pattern drafting, design, draping, clothing construction,
textiles, fashion history and production techniques.
4.2. TEXTILE DESIGN
Textile design is the knowledge of (natural and synthetic) fibres and their properties, textile
constructions including woven, knitted and non-woven, how colour and designs are
applied, finishes and testing for quality and performance. A textile designer is good at
sourcing and developing new fabrics for products, but is often specialising in designing
woven or printed fabrics, carpets, towels, bed linen or knits.
1
Design Council, Webpage Nov. 20th 2003
7
4.3. GRAPHIC OR MULTIMEDIA DESIGN
Graphic design is the knowledge of typography, composition/layout, print mediums,
packaging, branding and identity, web design and motion graphics. A graphic designer
produces corporate and brand identity, website design, motion graphics, multimedia,
package design and prints.
As a result of the rapidly changing computer technology, multimedia design is becoming a
design occupation on its own. Multimedia designers produce video/film, animations and
audio for commercial as well as educational use.
4.4. INDUSTRIAL OR PRODUCT DESIGN
Industrial design is the professional service of creating and developing concepts and
specifications that optimize the function, value and appearance of products and systems for
the mutual benefit of both user and manufacturer.
Industrial designers maintain a practical concern for technical processes and requirements
for manufacture; marketing opportunities and economic constraints; and distribution sales
and servicing processes. They work to ensure that design recommendations use materials
and technology effectively, and comply with all legal and regulatory requirements. Some
industrial designers are calling themselves “product design engineers”, emphasizing the
technological aspect of their background.
In addition to supplying concepts for products and systems, industrial designers are often
retained for consultation on a variety of problems that have to do with a client's image.
Such assignments include product and organization identity systems, development of
communication systems, interior space planning and exhibit design, advertising devices
and packaging and other related services. Their expertise is sought in a wide variety of
administrative arenas to assist in developing industrial standards, regulatory guidelines and
quality control procedures to improve manufacturing operations and products.2
Industrial designers are generalists, not specialists, in contrast to the other design
professions.
Summing up,
Design without Borders as a program is mainly utilizing the skills of the industrial
designer.
2
http://www.idsa.org/webmodules/articles/anmviewer.asp?a=89&z=23, Nov 30th 2003
8
5. DESIGN IN BANGLADESH
"Why scramble to be the cheapest when using design can make you the best by transforming
everything you do?”
Design Council (UK)
The strong position of the garment industry in Bangladeshi economy - it is one of the
largest export industries3 - does unfortunately not indicate that the country in general has a
lot of excellent fashion or textile designers. Buyers from developed countries usually bring
their own designs as well as their own materials to the Bangladeshi garments industry. The
buyers focus on price and quality, not on contributing to create a thriving design profession
in Bangladesh or elsewhere.
In the jute industry, which is another important source of export income, one of the
informants said outright that the employees can copy, but not design. In general, the
manufacturing industry of Bangladesh seems to be very good at copying, but lacking in the
understanding of how their competitiveness can be increased by using design as a strategic
tool in reaching existing and new markets.
The main characteristics of the design situation in Bangladesh seems therefore to be a great
capacity of copying as well as being able to produce cheap products that are designed
elsewhere. Even if this “strategy” of copying and producing cheaply seems to function at
the present level, it is not a strategy that will help Bangladeshi exports in the future. The
role of Bangladesh will be reduced to the role of the re-active, the one player in the game
who is not trying to win, but just - barely – trying to participate. Such an approach is
understandable for a poor country, but is unfortunately doomed in the long run. If you are
not winning markets shares, you are loosing them.
5.1. DESIGN POLICY
Some nations have developed a conscious design policy. One example is Japan, which has
been forming its design policy since the late1950-ies with the aim of “improving the level
of design strength to prevent the imitation of foreign products”.
This kind of initiative has not been taken in Bangladesh. One reason might be the level of
industrialisation; - Bangladesh is still largely rural. The design profession has historically
developed parallel with the growth of manufacture. The change of the production process
into mass production created a new need for design capability. However, even if
Bangladesh is largely rural, the industrial revolution has not left the country untouched by
manufacture. Important export generating industries as the garment and the jute industries
are certainly mechanised and mass producing. These Bangladeshi exports have to compete
on a global market and, liking it or not, have to compete with highly sophisticated
international companies and corporations, for whom having a design policy, though not
necessarily on a national, but certainly on a corporate level, is a matter of course.
3
The Ready Made Garment Industry in Bangladesh accounts for 76% of total foreign exchange earnings
(Promotion Brochure BGMEA BIFT 2003)
9
The British-born, Dhaka-based, textile designer Jackie Corlett mentions the happy coexistence of craft work and industrialisation in Bangladesh as another possible reason for
the lack of political interest in establishing a design policy. The crafts sector is large and
supplies an obvious opportunity of making a living. Crafts, in principal, creates objects that
grow out of tradition and only needs design input when there is not enough demand for the
objects in traditional use. It can be argued that the strong role of crafts in supplying the
local Bangladeshi market with textiles and other consumer goods, and the lack of
innovation resulting from this, has made it “easy” to forget to make a design policy for the
nation.
5.2. THE DESIGN PROFESSION
5.2.1. Fashion designers
There are a number of qualified fashion designers in Bangladesh with a good reputation.4
They mostly work on a small scale, however, selling tailor-made clothes to the upper
middle classes.
5.2.2. Textile designers
There are some textile designers working in crafts businesses or NGOs, some of
Bangladeshi, some of Western and Indian origin.
5.2.3. “Crafts designers”
The craft businesses have employees with product design responsibility, often with at Fine
Arts educational background.
5.2.4. Graphic and multimedia designers
Information on the number of graphic and multimedia designers has been hard to find.
5.2.5. Industrial designers
As for Bangladeshi industrial designers, there are some in learning positions at the
German-funded Design and Technology Centre (DTC) in Dhaka under a German “master”
industrial designer. The Department of Industrial and Production Engineering at
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) is including some product
design courses in its engineering program.
It seems that there is no design profession as such in Bangladesh. On the whole, there are
very few designers, but it is difficult to know how many. There is for instance no designer
organization with a membership list indicating the numbers.
4
For instance the designers Bibi Russell and Roxana Salam showing modern fashion inspired by traditional
textiles at NCCB´s Exhibition in Dhaka in October 2003
10
5.3. DESIGN EDUCATION
Design education in the context of a development situation does not appear to be regarded as a valid
form of problem solving, a means of improving local and national quality of life, a talent or skill to be
fostered for the public good, etc. Rather it is seen by many of its practitioners as secondary to art,
and by the establishment, well, hardly seen at all.
Jackie Corlett
5.3.1. Fine Arts
Some designers, at least in the crafts businesses, are educated at Dhaka Institute of Fine
Arts. Although this educational background in combination with experience from the craft
businesses, in many cases seem to work well, some say that a lot of people in the trade do
not understand the difference between an artist and a designer, “Design is planning step by
step and the artists do not know how to do that”.
Others say that the creativity is the strong point of the designers with a fine arts
background, but that the understanding of the market is lacking. Jackie Corlett writes that
“Seeing the artists’ more ‘off the wall’ creativity, balanced with the more analytical skills
of those with a design bias, has been an enlightening experience.” A fine arts background
can be a good starting point for a designer making products, as long as a chance of learning
design methodology is also provided. However, the “fine arts designer” will lack the
technological and analytical skills that are a prominent part of the industrial designer’s
competence.
5.3.2. Formal educational institutions
The BGMEA, The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers Export Association, opened a
fashion and technology institute in 2000, the BIFT. Another new institution, the ShantoMarian University of Creative Technology, started this year (2003), but with ambitions of
becoming the design University of Bangladesh. There are talks of BRAC University
starting a crafts-oriented design course in collaboration with the German-sponsored Design
and Technoloy Center (DTC). All the mentioned universities are private universities.
The Department of Industrial and Production Engineering at Bangladesh University of
Engineering and Technology (BUET) is including some product design courses in its
engineering program. BUET´s way of integrating product development courses in the
engineering education, provides a useful, but not sufficient, starting point for establishing
an industrial design education in Bangladesh.
No educational institutions in Bangladesh offer Master’s level education or the opportunity
of MPhil or PhD research works in the field of design.
5.3.3. Informal training
The Design and Technology Centre (DTC) offers training courses for people working in
businesses and NGOes. Courses have been offered as workshops, concentrating on
creativity and the design process, while connected to practical woodwork, weaving etc. The
course results are shown in actual artefacts as well as in self-made manuals that can be used
as helpful tools in the workplace. The participants receive a certificate of participation, but
11
this does not give formal credit, as the courses are not very long, most often they last a few
days or a number of evenings.
5.3.4. Non-formal training
One of the interesting experiences from the Norad Jute Project (which is described later in
this report) is the learning process that some of the participants describe as a result of their
collaboration with the Dutch designers working in that project. The designers did not
“design and go”; - they entered into a constructive dialogue with the Bangladeshis who
were going to run the businesses and NGOes after the project was finished, working as
team leaders.
In all workplaces a lot of non-formal learning is happening, especially where there is a
secure and open-minded atmosphere combined with a team structure. This non-formal
learning can be transformed into reflective practises5, if the motivation and capability is
there.
5.3.5. The Indian example
India recognised in the 1950s that to be an industrial force of any stature in the world
market they would need designers. This soon resulted in the National Institute of Design
(NID) institutions which has since consistently educated design talent. Some Bangladeshi
designers also have attended NID and some Indians with degrees from NID work in
Bangladesh.
5.4. DIFFERENT CONCEPTS OF DESIGN
In Bangladesh, design most often seems to be connected to the idea of product design, in
the sense of giving an object form. Concepts like “design management”, “strategic design”
or, for that matter, “industrial design”, seem largely unknown. Seeing the designer as a
partner providing strategic business development is most likely a rather new concept to
small and large businesses in Bangladesh.
Summing up,
-
5
There is not a governmental design policy in Bangladesh
There is a very small and loosely organised design profession
There is very little formal design education
The common concept of design is likely to be “giving an object form”
Ref. Donald Schön: The Reflective Practioner
12
6. JUTE
In Bangladesh, 25 % of the population (30-35 million people) is directly affected by jute
production and many more by the industry. Jute manufacture is one of the most important
industries, as important as ready-made garments, seafood processing and pharmaceuticals.6
India is the world’s largest producer of jute and also its leading consumer of jute, selling
80% of the production on the home market. Bangladesh is the only other major producer of
jute, exporting 80% of the yearly output. Bangladeshi jute is supposed to hold a high
quality. Jute has, however, a low price image in the local market.
Jute is a natural fibre obtained as an extract from the bark of the jute plant. It can be
harvested three times a year and provides a necessary break between rice crops helping to
enrich the soil. The Bangladesh Jute Research Institute claims that jute can be a substitute
for cotton.
Bangladeshi agriculture has as its foremost aim to provide food for the rapidly growing
population. Rice is the main crop. In fact, Bangladesh hardly produces cotton and silk for
its textile production, but has remained a net importer of yarn at least since 1947. Almost
all yarns are imported; warp silk from China, cotton from China and India. If jute, which is
locally grown, could be used for more of the textiles being produced in Bangladesh, this
would be of advantage both to the farmers and to textile producers like jute mills, garment
manufacturers, handloom weavers or craft businesses.
The jute industry is, unfortunately, a so-called “sunset” industry. Decline in sales and
production volume has been a fact for many years now. Synthetic substitutes play a great
role in the downfall of the jute industry, as many of the traditional jute products, i.e.
packaging and carpets, now have been substituted by synthetics. The government policy of
subsidizing the government-owned mills, has given the private-owned mills a difficult
competitive situation while not avoiding a major breakdown of the government-owned
production.
6.1. JUTE DIVERSIFICATION
Parallel to the sun setting over the jute industry, significant research and development (R &
D) activities have taken place in many countries in the world during the last twenty years.
As a result, many technologies and processes are now available for commercialization and
more are coming out.
The jute sector has previously concentrated its efforts on producing packaging (sacks and
Hessian). The diversification efforts have put an emphasis on
1. Home textiles
2. Agro textiles
3. Composites
6
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+bd0008) June 18th 2003
13
The Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) claims to have developed 37 new
technologies, of which 15 are ready for commercialization on a pilot scale (see Chapter 13.
Enclosures) , among them jute blankets and prayer mats, knitwear, jute denim and blended
jute/cotton thread. The BJRI is concentrating its efforts on research and leaves the
commercialization to the private sector.
An example of jute diversification in the field of composites in Bangladesh is a student
project at the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at Bangladesh
University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). The aspiring engineers are
experimenting with jute as a substitute for glass in “glass fibre”, hoping to provide a useful
material for (at least) the furniture producer who is lending the technology to the university.
Realising there is a need to build bridges between the R & D environment and the jute
industry, the Ministry of Jute with financial support from the European Commission, set up
the Jute Diversification Promotion Centre (JDPC) in 2002.
Perhaps the most well-known diversification programme was the Jute Development
Programme in India launched in 1992 by UNDP in order to search for and develop
diversified, high value added jute-based products and then to encourage entrepreneurs to
commercialise results through an incentive credit facility. This project managed to achieve
production of blended yarns where jute was mixed with cotton, linen, ramie, viscose and
polyester in union blends. Critical voices, say, however, that the UNDP program failed
because ”They helped the jute mills in design and development, but other aspects like
investment in new machinery, changing attitude of workforce, marketing, market study,
investing in new technology (and) machinery, etc. was missing from the project.”
6.1.1. Diversification is not necessarily commercialization
Several of the private-owned mills in Bangladesh have already to some extent diversified
their production. The main challenge at present does not seem to be diversification as such,
but commercializing the results of the already existing research from the R & D
environments. The process of commercialization is a complex weave of trial and error;
analyzing market potential, designing products, finding technology, financing investments
etc.
6.1.2. Co-operation between R&D institutions and the industry
The contact between R & D and the businesses seem to be on an ad hoc basis, taking place
when the businesses face technological questions they hope the research institutions can
solve. The mills, as well as smaller companies, are rather critical towards the governmentfinanced research institutions, claiming inefficiency and little willingness to meet the needs
of the businesses.
6.2 THE JUTE MILLS
Government owned mills dominate the jute sector, both in terms of employment, number of
mills and capacity.7 The mills are large industrial plants, often employing thousands of
people, most often using old technology.
In the 1950-ies and 60-ies, mainly four types of jute industries were set up:
7
E. Sigvaldsen et al (2002): Review of BGD – 1058 Development of Jute Industry in Bangladesh
14
1.
2.
3.
4.
Hessian and Sacking Cloth and Bags (spinning and weaving machinery)
Spinners (spinning machinery)
Carpet Backing Cloth (spinning and weaving machinery)
Jute Carpet Mills8
According to E. Sigvaldsen et al´s report (2002), there are 47 spinning mills, 11 privately
owned weaving mills and 30 government-owned weaving mill. The government does not
compete in the spinning segment.
6.2.1. Strategy of value-adding
The focus of the jute mills presently seems to be on value-adding, of finding ways to add
value to the products that can be made with (more or less) the existing technology. The
mills are today more interested in finding new markets for thread and weave, and in
diversifying – and adding value - within the framework of their existing production of
thread and weave than starting on a radical diversification process involving great
economic risk.
Yarn and weave represent the major part of the existing jute industry and possess an unused
potential for product development. The large markets of agro- and geo textiles can be
approached using (mainly) existing technology. The soft fabric will have to be further
developed so that problems with shrinkage and colour fastness are solved. Thinner threads
and blended threads are other areas of growth.
The idea of developing fully vertically integrated manufacturing, e.g production of thread
and yarn, fabrics, cutting and sewing is done in one place, has been taken up by some of the
Bangladeshi jute producers. In a longer perspective, at least some of the mills show interest
in expanding beyond the traditional thread and weave, for instance are non-woven textiles
mentioned as an interesting opportunity.
6.2.2. Large volume markets
The jute mills need volume sales in order to keep their businesses going and will have to
focus on markets accordingly. New products should (1) utilize large volumes of jute, (2)
have a sustainable demand for large volume output in the foreseeable future and (3) be
profitable.
As pointed out by Vinay Chand in his report about the Norad jute project, the textile
markets approachable for the treated fabric are large, - much larger than the specialised
interior design markets where the products from the project’s small businesses and NGOes
can be sold.
The jute mills are themselves pointing at large potential markets, expressing interest in
producing geotextiles and agrotextiles.
6.3. JUTE AND THE SMALL BUSINESSES
Small businesses working with jute are mostly found in the crafts sector. This sector is
large; it is supposed to be the second largest source of employment in the rural areas, even
8
Final Report Sonali Aansh (2003), p.1
15
if the businesses are small. Most often the businesses are organised with a small number of
employees (for instance 30-40) and a large number of connected craftspeople (for instance
300-400) from which the products are bought.
In most developing countries and certainly in Bangladesh, the concept of the craftsperson
as a “crafts-artist” is not known. The Bangladeshi craftspeople are production workers, not
artists.
National Crafts Council of Bangladesh (NCCB) expresses a strong interest in jute as a
material in crafts production. For the handloom businesses the use of blended threads in the
production of fabric for both apparel and interiors are interesting. One business has already
had success with fabric and apparel of jute/cotton mixes and claims that jute is a selling
point. For crafts businesses in general both blended fabrics and pure jute, treated or not, are
materials that can be utilized for product development. New products for export markets
are especially demanded. This is an area where NCCB believes it is necessary to use
international designers, hoping that donors will be willing to subsidize the cost.
6.3.1. Markets
For the smaller businesses, the local market is the most important one. It would be of great
advantage for the smaller businesses if the jute mills succeeded in selling and producing
larger volumes of, for instance, the soft fabric. The price would go down, making the fabric
available for many more of the small businesses. Then the fabric (and eventually also softer
yarn) could be used for products not only aimed at the export markets, but also at the local
and regional markets, giving income to a larger group of companies and, incidentally, work
to more people.
However, some high value niche export markets are approachable also with the present
high prices, as has been proved in the Norad project, if the quality is high enough.
6.4. THE NORAD PROJECT “THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE JUTE INDUSTRY IN
BANGLADESH”
The NORAD jute project started in 1997 and ended in June 2003. In the end, the
participants were 2 mills, Sonali and Pubali, and four craft producers: two craft businesses,
Esheeta and Swajan Crafts, and two NGOes, Concern and CORR - The Jute Works.
The project has succeeded in producing a new, soft jute fabric in light and heavy weights
and in different colours, lately also with prints. The market focus has been “home
furnishings”. The fabric and the home furnishing products have been presented every year,
starting 2001, at the Heimtextil fair in Frankfurt, Germany. A greater quality consciousness
has grown out of working with niche products for an upper-grade market.
The Dutch design company LA Colours worked as consultants in the project’s first years.
The project participants grant much of the honour for their success to the Dutch designers.
The companies participating in the Norad project have now joined in the loosely knit “Jute
Group”. South Asia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF) has been asked by Norad to
make a market study, especially looking into the potential of the soft fabric that was a result
of the Norad project.
16
Summing up,
- The jute industry is one of the most important sources of export income in
Bangladesh
- The jute industry needs to face the growing competition using design skills
- Commercialization, not diversification, is the problem
- There is (too) little cooperation between R & D and the producers
- The jute mills need volume sales
- The jute mills want to concentrate on value adding
- There are large markets in areas for thread and weave in, for instance, geoand agro textiles
- NCCB expresses a strong interest in product development with jute and jute
blends on behalf of the small businesses
- The Jute Project provides a motivated group of businesses with experience
in working with external designers
- The SEDF market study will provide useful background for product
development
17
7. THE POTENTIAL ROLE of DESIGNERS in EXPORTORIENTED PRODUCTION in DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Well trained designers…could make a large impact on the nation’s economy by being able to
contribute more effectively to both the local and export markets.
Jackie Corlett
Long term sustainable development should focus on reducing dependence and achieving
self-sufficiency. In the field of design, this means that development projects will have to
aim at strengthening the design profession, increasing the number of designers as well as
increasing the skills of the existing designers. Activities that support the strengthening of
the design profession can, in principle, be undertaken in government as well as in the
private sector or the civic sector.
Normally a donor tries to refrain from direct support of to the private sector to avoid
disturbing the markets, and giving unfair advantages to certain private entrepreneurs. In the
Norad Jute Project, this tradition was broken. According to Erlend Sigvaldsson (2002)
“Private companies have characteristics one tends to forget in the developing aid
business.” Private companies are committed to survival.
The failure of government policy in the jute sector in Bangladesh is well documented. The
privately owned jute mills are the best run mills in the country, being managed by highly
educated and dynamic leaders with self-sufficiency and earning money as their ultimate
goal.
In Bangladesh, DwB is suggesting cooperation with private sector. This is a specific
choice, not a general one. In export-oriented projects in other countries the conclusion may
well be another.
7.1. DESIGN IS A NECESSARY, BUT NOT SUFFICIENT SUCCESS FACTOR
As earlier mentioned, critical voices say that the UNDP jute program failed because even if
the jute mills were helped in design and development, other aspects like investment in new
machinery, changing attitude of workforce, marketing, market study, investing in new
technology (and) machinery, etc. was missing from the project. It may be debatable if this
is a true description of the UNDP project outcome, but it is a useful example describing the
complexity of factors making up a successful export-oriented project. Design is a necessary
part of a good project, but dependent on other factors. A designer can for instance describe
technological needs, but not develop technology, needing technology partners. He or she is
dependent on being part of a well-functioning team, collaborating with as well management
as with production and marketing. A visiting designer will also need a supportive
environment, preferably consisting of designer colleagues.
18
7.2. STRENGTHENING THE DESIGN PROFESSION
The strength of the design profession can be measured in a number of ways; How many
designers are there? How are businesses being run and how do they succeed in competition
with others? Which kind of design education is there and how many students does it attract
and educate? Is there work for the students at the end of their education?
Design without Borders has chosen to focus on the businesses, especially suggesting (see
the LFA Objectives Trees in Chapter 9) the strengthening of
- Design strategy
- Design management
- Product development
In order to strengthen the design profession in a broader manner, however, it is necessary to
support the budding Bangladeshi design education as well. Most of the activities suggested
in the LFA Objectives Trees in Chapter 9 are outside the scope of Design without Borders´
projects, except the suggestion to supply courses to the design and technology universities.
7.3. USING INTERNATIONAL DESIGNERS
Designing products for an international market demands firsthand knowledge, and
understanding, of that market. This kind of knowledge and understanding is a multifacetted cultural competence that is developed on both a conscious and subconscious level
and requires a lot of time, talent and hard work to acquire in a “foreign” environment.
There can be no doubt that very few of the Bangladeshi designers know the international
markets. There is a unison cry in Bangladesh saying that they do need help from foreign
designers to be able to make products that can be sold internationally. This is even more the
case if the products are going to be developed into high-value niche products.
One might think that this is a short-term need. It is, however, not. It is generally so that the
designers that are best suited for designing for a particular market, has the cultural expertise
and understanding of that market. Thus, western designers are suited to designing for
western markets.
7.3.1. The role of the international designer
For the western designer who will work on the project, the new culture, surroundings and
climate is going to pose a big challenge. In this new context, the role of the designer needs
to be reconsidered. How does a designer share and teach while at the same time getting
things done?
Working in a foreign country in itself demands good communications skills. In
Bangladesh, only the management and maybe some of the skilled labour force will be able
to speak English and the designer will, at least to begin with, not know any Bangla. How
will communicating with production staff through an interpreter affect the communication?
Communicating to get the work done is one thing, communicating to share knowledge is
another. Coming from outside of Bangladesh, one might think the easiest way to train
people is to make courses, or give classes, or invite people to training sessions in for
19
instance the workshops of the Design and Technology Centre (DTC), but what if they are
not used to going to classes? How will you make them come?
The likelihood of meeting innovative company cultures is not very high. A resistance
towards change is more likely to be the case. Now lack of willingness to change is not a
Bangladeshi phenomenon. It may, however, lead to the slowing down of plans and actions.
Working in Bangladesh will demand a certain humility, - it will be necessary to listen and
learn. There are many ways of reaching a goal: sometimes the best way may be the one that
is favoured by the people who is going to keep the work up after the project is ended. On
the other hand the role will demand firmness, and maybe even a certain rigidity; goals will
have to be met, procedures will have to be carried through, change will have to take place
even if is not wanted, and part of the designer’s role is, after all, to secure the output of the
new designs.
7.3.2. Understanding Bangladeshi production
The international designer, who is used to working in the structured setting of industrialised
manufacture and communication, will face challenges coping with production in
Bangladesh. First of all, the production, even in the manufactures, will be more labourintensive than is common in the more industrialized nations. The entire attitude to labour is
most likely going to be different, putting emphasis on giving as many people as possible
employment, not as few as possible, as we are used to. Efficient production can sometimes
be constructed with a lot of (inexpensive) hands rather than using (expensive) machinery.
Secondly, the manufactures will often be using old machinery and technology, creating, for
instance in the jute mills, rather a lot of noise and dust.
Designing for smaller businesses, the designer will have to get to know and understand the
entire production process, including the economical aspects. In the handloom businesses,
for instance, more often than not the manager of a company buys the finished product from
the craftsman rather that employing the person on a permanent basis. In Bangladesh more
than a quarter of the population (30-35 million people) is working on his or her own. For a
textile product there can be a surprisingly long production chain, from the dyer to the
weaver to the printer to the tailor, just to mention one possible example. Sometimes the
functions will be available in one building and sometimes the designer will have to travel
around between the different areas of production, giving instructions, experimenting and
controlling quality.
Summing up,
- Potential projects in Bangladesh should focus on private sector
- Design is a necessary, but not sufficient success factor
- A designer must be part of a team
- There will always be a need of designers with particular export market knowledge
- The “new” designer role will be a role of combining traditional design work with
training, in a humble, but firm manner
20
8. PROJECT PROPOSAL
In the ToR for Design without Borders´ second trip to Bangladesh, the task was described
as to
- Survey the potential for employing industrial designers from DwB in an export
oriented project for business development in Bangladesh, focusing on the jute
industry.
- Evaluate DwB’s possibilities for contributing in a project with NCCB in their
efforts for the crafts sector.
In the report from the first trip to Bangladesh (May/June 2003) Trine Thommessen
suggests the following priorities:





To leave as much expertise in Bangladesh as possible. An aspect of this is the
length of a programme
The emphasis in development projects should be on training in the workplace,
enhancing existing skills
It is the nature of organizing projects that everything cannot be planned in advance.
There must be room for adjustments within the project process
All participants must feel ownership to the project, if possible having cooperated in
developing the project plan.
Participation in a project should always represent an investment for the participants
To this can be added that
 “Barriers to entry” for the individual firm should be comparatively low. In this case
that means low investments (in the starting phase) and ready available local
supporting expertise.9
 Potential projects should focus on few participants and show in praxis that change
can be achieved. A success will always inspire others.
8.1. INPUT FROM THE LOGICAL FRAMEWORK APPROACH10
LFA is an analytical, presentational and management tool, helping planners and managers.
It was first adopted as a planning tool for overseas development by USAID in the early 70ies, and has later been adopted by a large number of development agencies. The method is
supposed to help provide a standardised summary of a project.
The LFA tool should always be approached as a team task, involving key stakeholders.
Design without Borders has, unfortunately, so far not been able to involve stakeholders in
Bangladesh in the analysis. We are therefore presenting the following analysis strictly as a
preliminary analysis, hoping to be able to make a final analysis with a broader team in
Bangladesh in 2004.
9
Sigvaldsen, Erlend et al: “Review of BGD-1058 Development of Jute Industry in Bangladesh”
10
AusGUIDElines, copyright Commomwealth of Australia 2000 (last updated 20th June, 2003)
21
8.1.1. Relevant stakeholder group(s)
-
the Government of Bangladesh
The International Jute Study Group (and possibly other international organisations
as the FAO etc)
the jute R& D environment in Bangladesh
jute farmers, jute industrial workers and jute traders in Bangladesh
the Jute Group
jute mills
small companies making use of jute as a material for production
SEDF
NCCB
Norad
Design without Borders
Bangladeshi designers (the design profession)
International designers
Design education institutions
8.1.2. Problem analysis
On the following page, we present a problem tree. This is a preliminary problem tree, as it
is developed by the two Design without Borders representatives and not with a larger group
of stakeholders, as is the intention of the LFA-method.
The problems that are design-related have gotten this colour code:
Other problems are marked with this colour:
22
PRELIMINARY PROBLEM TREE
Increasing poverty
in the rural areas
Less export income for
the country
Less jute is grown
and sold
Bankruptcy and losses
in the jute mills
Decline of Jute
Sector
Low risk willingness
Banks and investors
reluctant to invest
Failed government
industrial policy
Lack of designoriented market
strategy
Lack of methods for
interpreting market
signals
”Wait and see”attitude
Competition from
synthetics
Lack of
diversification
Lack of product
development tools
Little contact
between R&D and
business
Lack of design
management thinking
Old and rundown
production
technology
Lack of innovative,
design-oriented
business culture
Lack of design
profession
23
8.1.4. Stakeholder analysis
The Government of Bangladesh is facing major problems for the country should the jute
sector continue to decline. The role of the government is to supply an agricultural,
industrial and export policy that is beneficial to the jute sector. So far there is no reason to
optimism as to the capacity of the Bangladeshi government to do so.
The International Jute Study Group is an international board providing information on
jute, jute diversification etc to whom it might concern. The IJSG does not itself have an
interest in joining projects like this and is primarily interesting as a very useful provider of
information, especially regarding experiences in other countries than Bangladesh.
The jute R& D environment in Bangladesh is not economically dependent of the
development of the jute sector, as it is being financed by the government (and donors), but
has a self interest in seeing the jute industry prosper, as the jute sector provides its “raison
d´etre”. The role of this environment is mainly as a supplier of research results
The jute farmers, jute industrial workers and jute traders in Bangladesh are dependent
on a thriving jute sector for survival.
The Jute Group has been established at the end of the Norad project. Both the mills and
the small companies are facing challenges, - the mills need to sell large volumes (of, among
other things, the soft fabric), while the small companies and NGOes will benefit from
further design support for international high-end niche markets. The group will be
interested in taking part in a new project and will have resources to do so.
The jute mills, also the ones that have not taken part in the Norad project, will be
interested in reverting the negative trend of the jute sector. The mills will have motivation,
needing to survive, and resources, industrial knowledge and production ecquipment to take
part in new projects.
Small companies making use of jute as a material for production are insisting, both
through NCCB and the Jute Group, that jute, natural or blended, is a very important
development area for them, both on international markets and, if the prices of the soft
fabric can be reduced, on the local market. They are especially pointing out design for
international high end niche markets as their area of interest.
SEDF is targeting small and medium sized businesses and have not earlier been involved
with the jute mills. Norad has involved SEDF in making a market study for jute. SEDF
supplies an interesting mix of business consultancy and investment support, representing a
valuable resource for a potential project in the jute sector. SEDF is depending on donor
support to fulfil its obligations.
NCCB is representing the crafts businesses, which make out a large amount of the small
businesses that will have a self interest of getting involved in a new jute oriented project.
The leadership in NCCB is personally engaged in using jute as a material for crafts
production. The NCCB is an important organisation which should be invited to take part in
a project, but it does not have a secretariat and resources to become a local partner.
24
Norad has already been engaged in the jute sector in Bangladesh, through the former Jute
Project. There is, however, still a need for development, both for the companies
participating in this project and for other companies. The work done in the Norad project is
of such importance that the evaluation report suggests a global market study and
continuous design support as further actions.
Norsk Form - Design without Borders has previously not been involved in exportoriented projects, but has a self interest in getting experience with this kind of development
work. DwB is especially interested in actions that strengthen the design profession in
Bangladesh. Industrial design is the primary interest of DwB, but DwB can also be willing
to use other design competence (i.e. textile design, graphic design) whenever this is the
need. DwB cannot finance projects on its own.
Bangladeshi designers (the design profession) are so far involved only in crafts
production of jute; in making interior decoration items, apparel and fashion accessories.
There is not an industrial design profession in Bangladesh.
International designers will have the needed knowledge for export-oriented production
and will be interested and willing to participate. It is, however, necessary to find designers
with strategic talents and experience as well as those who are willing to, and able to,
combine product development with training in the workplace.
The design education institutions in Bangladesh are weak and not able to support the
jute sector with the necessary design input at this stage. The schools would greatly benefit
from a structured visiting program and from exchange programs with international design
schools.
8.1.5. ANALYSIS OF OBJECTIVES
It is obvious that Design without Borders cannot tackle all the identified problems. We can
offer support in the field of design. In combination with other types of support for the
businesses, as marketing and investment support, our support in the field of design can,
however, prove to be crucial in order for the companies to be able to compete with success
on export markets.
The first objectives tree is a reversal of the problem tree. The second tree, marked
“Preliminary Objectives Tree – Design 1” is looking closer at the design-related objectives.
The third tree, marked “Preliminary Objectives Tree – Design 2” is organising the designrelated objectives in levels comparable to “Goal”, “Purpose”, “Component objectives” and
“Outputs” to make it easier to fill in a LFA. Matrix at a later stage. Because of the
preliminary nature of the trees, not being developed within a larger group of stakeholders,
we have chosen not to develop the LFA Matrix at this stage.
Objectives that are design-related have been given this colour code:
Objectives that can be reached by design-related outputs where DwB can play a
facilitating role, are given this colour:
Other problems are marked with this colour:
25
8.1.5. PRELIMINARY OBJECTIVE TREE
Decreasing poverty
in the rural areas
More export income
for the country
More jute is grown
and sold
The jute mills earn
money
Growth of Jute
Sector
Higher risk
willingness
Banks and investors
willing to invest
Supportive
government
industrial policy
Presence of designoriented market
strategy
Presence of methods
for interpreting
market signals
Active attitude
towards competition
Strengthened design
profession
High degree of
diversification
Innovative, designoriented business
culture
Working
collaboration R&D
and business
Presence of design
management thinking
Renewed production
technology
Presence of product
development tools
26
8.1.6. PRELIMINARY OBJECTIVES TREE – DESIGN 1
Strengthened
design profession
Presence of
innovative, designoriented business
culture
Develop design
strategy for each
company
Presence of design
management
thinking
Develop market
strategy
Develop product
portfolio
Identify markets
relevant to
production
capacity
Develop market
oriented product
development tools
Presence of higher
education for
industrial, textile,
fashion and
graphic designers
Training in design
management
Offer courses to
BUET, BGMEA
BIFT and others
Develop Exchange
programs with
international
design schools
Develop Distance
Learning Programs
Training in
product
development
methodology
Improve
production plan
lay out
27
8.1.7. PRELIMINARY OBJECTIVES TREE DESIGN 2
To strengthen the
design profession in
Bangladesh
To improve the level
of a innovative,
design-oriented
business culture
To improve the level
of higher education for
industrial, textile,
fashion and graphic
designers
To develop strategic
design knowledge
To develop design
management thinking
To develop product
development methods
Market strategy
established
Training in design
management carried
through
Training in product
development carried
out
Production plan lay
out analysed
Product portfolio
developed
Markets relevant to
production capacity
identified
A design strategy for
each company
described
Market oriented
product development
tools developed
To establish new
education institutions
To strengthen existing
educational
institutions
Courses at BUET,
BGMEA BIFT or
others carried through
Exchange programs
with international
design schools
developed
Distance Learning
Programs developed
New products
designed and produced
28
8.1.8. Identification of risks
-
The corruption and mismanagement in Bangladeshi politics represents a political
climate that makes any kind of donor involvement risky.
The decline in the jute production – the “sunset industry” image – represents a risk.
Is it possible to stop a downward trend?
The fact that many mills are using old and outdated machinery can make
diversification difficult as well as making efficient production in itself difficult.
The unwillingness of the banks to give loans (to change machinery)
The culture of Bangladeshi production: There is an natural unwillingness to change
in a culture dominated by unskilled labour used to routine work
There is no design profession in Bangladesh and a very weak design culture
Business management in general have little knowledge of, and experience in, using
design as a strategic management tool
DwB does not have experience managing, or taking part in, export-oriented projects
It may be connected with some difficulty finding international designers with the
needed combination of professional skills and personal qualitites
8.1.9. Identification of success factors
-
Clear division of labour between Norad, DwB and partners
Evaluation of the Norad jute project indicates other success factors:
- The participating designer(s) must cooperate closely with the companies
- The participating designer(s) must have strong professional skills and understanding
of markets
- Potential projects should have a long time perspective (as changing attitudes in the
companies is a slow process)
- Building networks of companies with common interests
8.1.10. Identification of possible gains
8.1.10.1. For the jute industry
-
Increased income from sales of jute products on the export market
Commercializing of new and untraditional products
Production of value added jute products
More effective production technology and production process
Development of local design competence
8.1.10.2. For DwB
-
Development of local design competence
Experience of using design competence in export-oriented product development
Strengthening of DwB´s relation to Norad
Attaining experience in methods for leaving as much competence locally as
possible
29
8.2. OTHER PROJECT INPUT
8.2.1. Period of time
The length of the project will have to be discussed. A planning period of 6 months up to a
year before upstart will be realistic.
8.2.2. Identification of competences
Norad has the competence of managing development projects as well as the overall project
responsibility.
DwB has design competence and some project management experience.
SEDF is supplying the market competence and has also business advisory and financial
competence.
Acnabin has business advisory and financial competence in addition to the experience of
managing the last phase of the Norad jute project
The jute mills have competent production managers and important export experience.
The small businesses have, to a smaller or larger degree, the same.
The R & D environment has expertise on jute and on jute diversification.
The design education institutions have some competence in design and in design
education issues.
The Design and Technology Center (DTC) has design competence and presents a
platform for design development.
8.2.3. The Project Roles
Design Education: BUET, BIFT, UCT, DTC
Companies
Production
Designers
Tekstile and industrial design
Acnabin
Local P- Management
Controller
Design w Borders
Design
Norad
Project . Financing
Quality
SEDF
Market/Capital
IJSG, JRC, JDPC, BUET
Research & Development
Fig 1: Sketch of project structure
30
Design without Borders is a small program, is not experienced in managing large projects
and would prefer to be in charge of the design activities within the frame of the larger
project.
The roles of Norad, DwB and the local partner Acnabin will have to be discussed
further.
8.2.4. Partners in Bangladesh
A Bangladeshi project coordinator would be the best solution, providing the project with a
sound local base.
This project manager would have to coordinate the different elements of a project, also the
ones in which designer(s) take part. Another function needed is “hosting”, integrating the
visiting designer(s) in a social and – if possible – professional, network.
SEDF is a possible project coordinator, the advantage being easy integration of the market
study and market analysis for design work as well as the access to funding at a later stage
in the project. The drawback is that SEDF has proved ineffective in the start of the market
analysis, has little experience of working with larger companies (specialising on SMEs)
and no prior experience of working with jute. The Centre is donor-supported.
The Design and Technology Centre (DTC) offered DwB a platform, a working and
administrative platform, and a platform for exchanges. “Hosting” a (some) designer(s) can
be part of the platform. The DTC is, however, a donor-supported centre without a strong
base in the Bangladeshi business culture.
Acnabin is a Bangladeshi accountancy, working as business and management consultants,
representing the private sector . Mr. Iftekhar Hossain, one of the six partners, has been
controller in the last part of the Norad project. He was part of E. Sigvaldsen´s team,
reporting on the Norad jute project in 2000. From these experiences he is well acquainted
with the jute companies, large and small. Mr. Hossain has also proved to be a very reliable
man.
8.2.4.1. Proposal
Design without Borders would prefer a solution where mr. Iftekar Hossain from Acnabin is
the local project manager. Because of mr. Hossain´s lacking design knowledge, we suggest
that mr. Arman Chowdhury (a Bangladeshi architect training at the DTC to become an
industrial designer) is asked to be in charge of the “hosting” function for the visiting
designer(s). An arrangement should be sought with DTC, which can also offer prototyping
workshops, CAD/CAM computers etc.
31
9. PLAN OF ACTION
Goals
Pilot project - preparing
for export-oriented
project(s) in
Bangladesh
Purpose
- Learning from the experience of other
projects
- Identifying success and risk criteria
Providing design input to SEDF´s market
strategy project
Design of exportoriented project(s) for
Bangladesh
Project:
Product development of
Jute Thread and Weave
for Export Markets
- Strengthened design competence in
Bangladesh, both in the companies and in the
design education institutions
- Product development yarn and weave for
export markets
- Increased sales income from export markets
through commercializing new and
untraditional jute products
- Established experience database for use of
design in export-oriented product
development
- Collecting experience and theory on methods
for the “product development + training”concept
32
Activities
Research (travels, net search,
interviews, seminars)
- jute development in India
- hemp and sisal industry
development
- methodology in other export
oriented design projects
- European jute technology
- Meetings with SEDF team
- Relevant research
Using the LFA-method
- Workshops in Bangladesh
Contacts/Partners
- Int. Jute Study Group
International designers
- The Jute Group
- Jute mills
- European jute production
environments
- NCCB
Time Perspective
SEDF + consultants
2004
(Prepare Design education projects exhanges, visiting staff)
(Higher education
institutions in Norway: and
Bangladesh)
Acnabin
Norad
1.1. 2005 –
31.12. 2010
10. LITERATURE
Chand, Vinay (2002): Draft Report on Norad´s Jute Project
Corlett, Jackie (1995): Discovering Design - design education in a development situation,
Middlesex University
Islam,Sadequel(2001): The Textile and Clothing Industry if Bangladesh in a Changing
World Economy, Dhaka
Latif, Muhammad Abdul (1997): Handloom Industry of Bangladesh 1947-90, Dhaka
Sayem, A.S.M.(2002): Paper of January 10th 2002, as presented on the web June 18th 2003
Sigvaldsen, Erlend et al (2000?): “Review of BGD-1058 Development of Jute Industry in
Bangladesh”
33
11. ENCLOSURES
11.1. THE DESIGN PROCESS
The design process starts when decisions about why, how and even whether to go ahead
with a project are being taken. The process works best when it is collaboration between the
design team and the people it works with and for.
11.1.1 The Design Brief
Good design begins with the needs of the user. Finding out what the customer wants is the
first stage of what designers do. The designer then builds on the results of that inquiry with
a mixture of creativity and commercial insight.
The design brief sets out the aims and objectives of a project and outlines certain targets
and parameters for its completion. It is crucial that the organization’s strategic objectives
and customer needs are defined.
11.1.2. Planning
To plan a project effectively, companies and organizations need to take into account all the
internal resources, people and information the project will require, from materials to
customer-service support.
11.1.3. Research
Research needs to be carried out both before and during the design process. Market
research includes trends analysis, scrutiny of competitors' products and wider research such
as the state of the economy, upcoming legislation and relevant social changes such as birth
rates and patterns of prosperity.
Design research centers on the user. It makes use of information about customers supplied
by the organization but also takes a more hands-on approach in the form of user testing and
prototyping.
Observing customer behaviour not only makes it easier for designers to create something
that fulfills a need, it can also provide creative inspiration.
11.1.4 Concept development
Based on inputs from the design brief and the analysis phase, the designer develops
solution concepts. Although concept development is a creative process, methodolgy for
ideas generation and selection is used as a tool to secure spanning a broad solution space
and selecting the most relevant possibilities. Methods include drawing, prototyping,
brainstorming and user testing. Watching users in real-world situations especially gives
insights into their behaviour that lead to ideas that wouldn't have formed had the designer
simply thought about the situation, or relied on generalised market research.
11.1.5 Communication
Communication needs to be maintained throughout the design process. If review stages can
be predetermined the project doesn't progress in the wrong direction.
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11.1.6. Implementation
The final stage is implementation - by manufacturers, engineers, IT experts or service
providers - but that doesn't mean the designers exit the scene. It is important to allow for
redesign and the designers also have a vital role to play in representing their ideas to all
those involved in executing them.
11.2. CRAFTS
However, these traditional crafts people are not strictly artists, in that they are not motivated by a
desire for expression. Training in design or at least access to others who have had that training and
can offer help, would be of most use to these groups.
Jackie Corlett
National Crafts Council of Bangladesh (NCCB) maintains that crafts is the second largest
area of employment in the rural areas of Bangladesh. Being a rural society, some 70% of
the Bangladeshi population is supposed to make a living in these areas, indicating that a
total of at least 90 million people are trying to find means of survival.
It is therefore critical to the NCCB to undertake programmes, which will not only promote
the fine traditional skills of the country, but also stem the flow of urban migration of
millions of artisans in search of a livelihood. Some say that crafts could have been the
breadbasket of Bangladesh. Others claim that crafts is another domestic commodity that
developing countries can use to help balance their export / import books, just like coffee,
jute or sugar, but that it unfortunately is not credited with the same level of investment.
The total crafts export of Bangladesh is estimated to 34-35 mil. Taka per year
(Banglacraft). Some craft businesses, but a very few, work 100% for the export market.
NCCB claims that many crafts businesses would have liked to have a 70/30 percentage
with exports making out 30%.
The Regional Conference of World Crafts Council held in Dhaka in October 2003, named
the problem of finding the potential markets for existing products as one of the major
problems in the sector.
11.2.1. Characteristics of Crafts
The word “craft” is originally, also in the industrialised countries, used in the wide sense of
skill or trade. In these countries, however, the word is now used in a different and narrower
sense, “studio-craft”11, meaning a setting of production where one person is in charge of
the entire production system, from the concept to the finished product, most often literally
forming the product with his or her own hands. These “studio-craftsmen” are seen as part
of the art scene, even if they are often denied the right to be there by artists. They are few
and their production is of minimal importance to the economy, but of undisputed value to
the culture of their country. The products are for the most part sold in high-price markets
for luxury or art goods.
11
Rees, Helen: Pattern of making: Thinking and making in industrial design., p. 116, i n Peter Dormer: The
Culture of Craft (1997)
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In most developing countries and certainly in Bangladesh, this concept of the craftsperson
as a “crafts-artist” is not known. The Bangladeshi weavers can be employed or selfemployed, - they weave what they are asked to do. They are production workers, not artists.
The low level of technology that they are making use of, is not a matter of choice, but of
necessity, - a pit loom (mentioned here as an example) is most probably what is available.
11.2.2. Designing of Crafts
Seeing that crafts in developing countries most often is a manual system of production, not
an art form, it is obvious that designers can design products for the crafts producers. This is
certainly widely done,- almost all the basketry, much of the pottery and many of the
interior textiles that are sold in the industrialised countries are handmade in developing
countries, but designed by international designers. The designer must adjust to the level of
technology, which may be quite a challenge for someone trained as an industrial designer,
but it is possible.
There is one catch, though: Crafts are also visualised culture, and, have, as such, long roots
in the culture where it has found its expression. The traditional craft products have
developed very slowly over the years, filling the practical needs of the people. How much,
and how, a designer should change the traditional expression of crafts is a long, and maybe
everlasting, discussion. In the context of Bangladesh, it may be more useful to find export
markets for some of the existing crafts products than trying to change them. This can only
be one part of a strategy, however, the other two being (2) making modern export-oriented
products inspired by Bangladeshi traditions and (3) making modern export-oriented
products without other roots in Bangladeshi culture than the material, as would be the case
when designing products of the soft jute fabric. A combination of the last two is also
possible.
11.3. DESIGN EDUCATION
As pointed out by several institutions and individuals, the present lack of design education
in Bangladesh is a problem that has to be faced, if the country wants to develop its
production base. The lack of creative training and creative practises in the basic education
of Bangladesh is often mentioned as a problem. A chance to learn the basics of arts, crafts
and design while going to school, is very important for the future artists, craftsmen and
designers..
In order to provide a sufficient design education in Bangladesh, not only the higher
education institutions should be thought of. The entire educational spectre should be
attended to:
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Design in Schools
Design in Further and Higher Education
Design in Science and Technology
Design in Business Courses
Design in Distance Education
There are many possible models for building a satisfactory system of design education. The
most common one is to think in terms of establishing educational institutions. This is, after
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all, the dominating model in the industrialised countries. However, the development of new
communication technology has started a landslide of distance education, where the students
only meet the other students and the teachers at certain intervals, and where the education
often is organised so that it can be combined with working part or full time.
The method of distance learning can in principle be used everywhere, provided the
communication technology is on hand. It is possible to think in terms of developing
educational models that combine the elements “practical work in the businesses” with
“locally based courses” and “distance education support”. Most likely, developing
alternative education based on these elements would be faster to establish, cheaper to run
and easier to change according to needs. Such models cannot, and should not, replace
educational institutions, but they certainly can complement them.
11.4. BANGLADESH JUTE RESEARCH INSTITUTE (BJRI)
Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) was established in 1951 in order to do research
to improve jute crops and products. Presently, the institute is active in the following areas:
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Agricultural Research on Jute and Allied Fibres
Technological Research on Jute and Allied Fibres
Economics and Marketing Research
Jute and Textile Products Development Centre
BJRI has developed many new Jute-based products. The future plans focus on
improvement of the crops and diversification of jute products.12
BJRI has a wing carrying out technological research on Jute & Allied Fibre (JAF) crops.
The main achievements in this field are:
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12
A process for the production of blankets from jute-acrylic blend was developed by
BJMC and BJRI. To commercialize the process a Memorandum of Understanding
(M.O.U.) has been signed recently between BJRI and Grameen Uddog.
Commercial processes for the production of the following home-furnishing fabrics
were developed: jute-cotton union fabrics, jute-synthetic union fabrics, wall
covering with jute fibre.
Technologies for the production of jute products such as school bags, fashion
bags/ladies bags, shopping bags, hold-alls, prayer mats, and shoe and sandal cloths
were developed, and a M.O.U. has been signed between BJRI and Grameen Uddog.
Chemical processes for the production of cellulose derivatives such as Microcrystal
cellulose (MCC), Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), oxalic acid, cellulose acetates,
cellulose nitrates and activated charcoal from jute and jute wastes have been
established. The process for the production of MCC has been leased out to
BEXIMCO. A M.O.U. has been signed between BJRI and Kamrul Engineering and
Trading for commercial production of CMC.
http://www.bangladeshgov.org/bjri/, November 16, 2003
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Scientific grading of raw jute fibers (both White and Tossa varieties of jute) was
developed through determination of the chemical indices such as cellulose, lignin,
copper number, acetyl content, ash content and nitrogen content.
A method was developed to blend chemically modified jute with other fibers. The
technology has been transferred to the Jute Textile Product Development Centre
(JTPDC) of BJRI for pilot scale production.
Methods to produce various cloths and garments from chemically modified jute
blended with cotton, rayon, acrylic, polyester and silk were developed. Pilot scale
production at the JTPDC was carried out.
Easier methods to determine the conductivity of jute and textile materials were
evolved.
A process to determine the fibre length of jute based on Dollop weight and
Doubling process was developed.
Methods for preparing felts from jute and jute wastes were developed.
Processes to prepare different yarns and fabrics by using natural and synthetic fibers
in admixture with jute were developed.
Different processes were developed to improve and simplify the processing
techniques of the jute industry.
11.5. SEDF – SOUTH ASIA ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT FACILITY
The South Asia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF) was launched in October 2002 to
support sustainable growth and development of the SME sector in Bangladesh, Northeast
India, Bhutan and Nepal. The bulk of SEDF’s resources are geared toward assisting
Bangladesh’s SMEs, which account for over 80 percent of the industrial labour force and
50 percent of the nation’s output. Boosting competitiveness and productivity of the SME
sector will translate to higher incomes for its workers and greater employment in an
economy where half the population, representing 60 million people, remains in poverty.
Partnering with IFC, the World Bank Group, other development institutions, as well as the
public and private sector, SEDF is strengthening local SMEs through programs based on
four strategic pillars:
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Access to Finance, providing banks training courses, technical assistance (TA),
workshops and seminars to improve their operating efficiency and increase their
SME lending and assisting SMEs in writing loan applications and good business
plans
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Business Development Services Programs to “train the trainers” or build capacity of
local training institutions and consultants so they can then offer local firms highly
flexible, affordable, and more SME-focused technical and managerial training
opportunities
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Business Enabling Environment working with SMEs, SME business associations
and policy-makers to mobilize efforts toward greater SME advocacy

Special Projects, establishing linkages between SMEs and large corporates in key
sub-sectors (e.g. agribusiness and ready-made garments) as a source of SME growth
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and job creation, increasing inter-regional trade between Bangladesh and Northeast
India
Headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh, SEDF is managed by the IFC SME Department.
Donors include UK, Canada, ADB, IFC, DFID, NORAD.
IFC – The International Finance Corporation
IFC is a member of the World bank Group Institutions, promoting sustainable private
sector investment in developing countries as a way to reduce poverty and improve people’s
lives. IFC can raise funds for its lending activities on favourable terms in the international
capital markets.
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