Bangladeshi recycled fibre brand Cyclo on Thursday alleged that a leading global Swiss brand was attempting to limit its market presence, jeopardising its position in the international market.
During a press conference held at a hotel in Dhaka, Mustafain Munir, director of Cyclo Recycled Fibres, claimed that the brand faced challenges from Swiss performance sportswear company ON AG.
Cyclo, established by SIMCO Spinning and Textiles in 2014, is Bangladesh’s first certified recycling facility for garment waste and operates in over 20 countries, including the EU, the USA, the UK, and Japan.
Munir highlighted that building a globally recognised brand required years of effort and investment, adding that Western brands often faced imitation in regions with weak intellectual property laws.
However, he noted that in some cases, western companies themselves undermined the rights of brands from developing nations.
According to Cyclo, ON AG launched a recycling programme called ‘Cyclon’ in 2021 as part of its circularity initiative.
Shortly after, the company allegedly tried to block Cyclo’s brand name in key markets.
Barrister ABM Hamidul Misbah, Cyclo’s legal representative, stated that despite Cyclo being a pioneer in the recycling sector, it has been forced into expensive legal battles to defend its rights.
Repeated attempts by Cyclo to resolve the matter with ON AG have reportedly been ignored.
Munir expressed concerns about the dismissal, stating that it highlights power imbalances smaller companies from developing nations faced on the global stage.
‘By making this issue public, we aim to raise awareness locally and internationally about how large international brands sometimes override the rights of smaller brands,’ Munir said.
‘We hope ON AG and other global companies will respect intellectual property rights,’ he added
According to Mustafain Munir, Cyclo recycles around 50 million tonnes of garment waste annually, exporting yarn valued at $15 million, which contributes to producing garments with a total FOB value of over $130 million.
The project, launched as a joint venture in 2010 with an investment of over $20 million, has created more than 800 jobs.