Evergreen shines in Uttara EPZ
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard
MONDAY, MAY 23, 2022
MONDAY, MAY 23, 2022
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
Evergreen shines in Uttara EPZ

Panorama

Sadiqur Rahman
30 May, 2020, 10:35 am
Last modified: 31 May, 2020, 01:07 pm

Related News

  • Animecon: Spontaneous friendships over shared interests
  • Are you taking care of your coloured hair?
  • US House passes bill banning race-based discrimination on hair
  • Indian brand SESA launches herbal hair oil in Bangladesh
  • Story of the travelling hair: From your hairbrush to China

Evergreen shines in Uttara EPZ

EPF employs 11,000 workers to manufacture a wide range of hair products including: wigs, hair pieces, braids, and high-end human hair extensions

Sadiqur Rahman
30 May, 2020, 10:35 am
Last modified: 31 May, 2020, 01:07 pm
Female workers are setting hair on mannequins. Photo: Saikat Bhadra
Female workers are setting hair on mannequins. Photo: Saikat Bhadra

In a large hall-size production unit of the Evergreen Products Factory (EPF), a group of women twist silky hair on mannequin heads. They form braids in halo, Fulani, crochet, Ghana or cornrow styles.

Carefully, others comb the permed, dyed hair. This is a traditional exhibition of Bangladeshi village women, doing hairdressing for their daughters or sisters during their leisure time in their courtyards.

They also have male companions drawing bunches of unbundled hair through hair hackles clamped to workbenches.

The Evergreen workers, mostly hailing from the impoverished northern villages, have no spare time for volunteer hairdressing. In Uttara Export Processing Zone, Nilphamari, they manufacture hair products for foreign buyers. 

According to EPF Chairman Felix Y.C. Chang, Evergreen manufactures three million pieces of hair products monthly.

EPF manufactures a wide range of hair products like: wigs, hair pieces, braids, and high-end human hair extensions. Photo: Saikat Bhadra
EPF manufactures a wide range of hair products like: wigs, hair pieces, braids, and high-end human hair extensions. Photo: Saikat Bhadra

"Our major export destinations are the United States, European Union countries, South Africa, Japan, and China. Currently, Evergreen is among the top producers in the world," Felix said.

EPF operates on nearly 38,000 square metres of space in the Uttara EPZ. The company employs around 11,000 workers – one-third of the total workforce in this industrial colony.

Given the designs and orders by international buyers, EPF manufactures and sells a wide range of hair products like: wigs, hair pieces, braids, and high-end human hair extensions.

As Halloween celebrations and cosplay culture have become more popular across the world, the EPF deals with a large number of orders for beauty hair products.

The EPF sources raw materials primarily from: China, South Korea, Japan, and India. And Bangladesh will soon be the next source country.

Photo: Saikat Bhadra/TBS
Photo: Saikat Bhadra/TBS

"We import straight hair strands of eight to 20 inches of length. The strands are cut, dyed and permed as required," said EPF's Deputy General Manager Quazi Ferdaus-Ul-Alam.

At first, the workers – using hackles – separate the required size of strands and organise them in bundles that are disinfected. This work is mostly done by male workers.

Then the female workers attach each strand to a base cap – made of a fine-mesh – knotting them with a hair ventilating needle.

"Knotting a wig requires sharp eyes for detail. Female workers aged between 18 and 23 can work better. Manufacturing hair products is actually craftsmanship," said Ferdaus.

There are no ceiling fans in the production units but the air is comfortably cool because there are a number of large exhaust fans (vents) that pass the hot air outside.

Ferdaus accompanied us to go to EPF's next expansion Trillion Gold Limited at Fatejangpur beside the Dhaka-Dinajpur highway.

The under-construction facility – with six factories and a 1,500-tonne water treatment plant on its 30-acres of land – aims to employ 10,000 new workers.

EPF chairman Felix believes that good management is the backbone of Evergreen's success.

Felix, a 54-year old industrialist, is the successor of Chang Chih Lung – who founded the company in Hong Kong 58 years ago. 

During a recent visit to Uttara EPZ, a pair of guardian lions' statues at the entrance of EPF caught my attention.

Photo: Saikat Bhadra/TBS
Photo: Saikat Bhadra/TBS

The pair reminded me about the Lion Rock Spirit that is said to be a core value Hong Kong's people pass down from generation to generation.

The spirit portrays how Hong Kong's people have worked hard, collectively, to continue their socio-economic advancement after the Second World War.

Since launching production units in 2010 in the Uttara EPZ, Felix, so far, has invested around Tk1,000 crore in Bangladesh.

He said that he will expand his business if he receives more benefits. 

According to data available on the website of the Export Promotion Bureau of Bangladesh, Bangladesh exported $23.02 million's-worth of human hair and wigs in the 2017-18 fiscal year. Ten years ago, human hair and wigs worth $0.81 million were exported.

The official data proves that the million-dollar business is expanding substantially.

Hopefully, Evergreen will lead the business.

Features / Top News

Wig / Hair / cosplay

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • BPC hunts for dollar to import fuel oil
    BPC hunts for dollar to import fuel oil
  • Representational Image. Photo: Mumit M/TBS
    Govt to list products to suspend imports amid dollar crisis
  • Infographic: TBS
    With 2 months left, 45% ADP fund still unspent 

MOST VIEWED

  • Why everybody wants to be like TikTok
    Why everybody wants to be like TikTok
  • Illustration: TBS
    How the ban on porn sites spawned a local cybersex industry
  • Photo: Courtesy
    Misfit Technologies: A Singaporean startup rooted firmly in Bangladesh
  • The Buffalo shooter targeted Black people, linking mass migration with environmental degradation and other eco-fascist ideas. Photo: Reuters
    Eco-fascism: The greenwashing of the far right
  • Green-backed Heron on a tilting stalk. Photo: Enam Ul Haque
    Green-backed Heron: Nothing but a prayer to catch a fish  
  • Illustration: TBS
    ‘High logistics cost weakens Bangladesh’s competitiveness’

Related News

  • Animecon: Spontaneous friendships over shared interests
  • Are you taking care of your coloured hair?
  • US House passes bill banning race-based discrimination on hair
  • Indian brand SESA launches herbal hair oil in Bangladesh
  • Story of the travelling hair: From your hairbrush to China

Features

Why everybody wants to be like TikTok

Why everybody wants to be like TikTok

13h | Panorama
Illustration: TBS

How the ban on porn sites spawned a local cybersex industry

16h | Panorama
3 best affordable sunscreens for all

3 best affordable sunscreens for all

16h | Mode
Warah uses three types of khadi material: a sheer and light one, a medium count and a thicker one.

Warah: Embroidered with culture and womanhood

18h | Mode

More Videos from TBS

Investors, public to suffer from electricity price hike

Investors, public to suffer from electricity price hike

6h | Videos
Health benefits of summer fruits

Health benefits of summer fruits

7h | Videos
The way Bangladesh saves almost extinct fish

The way Bangladesh saves almost extinct fish

7h | Videos
Padma’s Char now largest grazing-ground

Padma’s Char now largest grazing-ground

7h | Videos

Most Read

1
Tk100 for bike, Tk2,400 for bus to cross Padma Bridge
Bangladesh

Tk100 for bike, Tk2,400 for bus to cross Padma Bridge

2
A packet of US five-dollar bills is inspected at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington March 26, 2015. REUTERS/Gary Cameron
Banking

Dollar hits Tk100 mark in open market

3
PK Halder: How a scamster rose from humble beginnings to a Tk11,000cr empire
Crime

PK Halder: How a scamster rose from humble beginnings to a Tk11,000cr empire

4
Bangladesh at risk of losing ownership of Banglar Samriddhi
Bangladesh

Bangladesh at risk of losing ownership of Banglar Samriddhi

5
BSEC launches probe against Abul Khayer Hero and allies
Stocks

BSEC launches probe against Abul Khayer Hero and allies

6
The story of Bangladesh becoming a major bicycle exporter
Industry

The story of Bangladesh becoming a major bicycle exporter

The Business Standard
Top
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • About Us
  • Bangladesh
  • International
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Economy
  • Sitemap
  • RSS

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net

Copyright © 2022 THE BUSINESS STANDARD All rights reserved. Technical Partner: RSI Lab