Tulika Eco

Interviewed by Syed Md. Rakeen, Team MBR

A recipient of the National SME Award of Bangladesh in 2022, Tulika Eco is an excellent manufacturer and exporter of eco-friendly handicrafts and diverse jute-based products. The enterprise currently employs over 50 skilled rural artisans, with the majority being young women, and seeks to increase job opportunities for rural women. As the world gradually shifts towards sustainability, Tulika Eco is committed to promoting rural craft internationally by exporting its award-winning eco-friendly products. Team MBR was in a conversation with Ms. Esrat Jahan Chowdhury and was fortunate enough to learn about her inspirations and vision behind Tulika Eco.

Syed Md. Rakeen: You started your professional career as a banker and later switched to entrepreneurship. Would you kindly share your journey and the inspiration behind launching Tulika Eco?

Esrat Jahan Chowdhury: I started my career as a banker. After having my baby, I had to take care of her. Hence, I decided to resign from my role at that bank. After a three-year hiatus, I decided to come back to work again and spent eight months in a corporate job. Whenever I engaged in any work, I always loved to be dedicated to it. But soon, I realised I was not getting the recognition I deserved. Then it dawned on me that I had to create something for myself. It would be something where I would give all my efforts and manage a good return while having mental satisfaction. I have always wanted to start a business since my school days, but that plan did not materialise. This time, I realised that it was high time that I started my own business. Exporting and sending products to other countries has always intrigued me. Initially, I planned to go into an export-oriented business. So, I dug deep to find products with a lot of demand from countries abroad. This led me to the jute industry, once dubbed the ‘Golden Fibre’ of Bangladesh, and from then on, it felt great to carry on my journey from there.

 

 

Syed Md. Rakeen: The journey of Tulika Eco began in 2017, and it started exporting to the European market the very next year. How did you manage to enter the European market? How has Tulika’s expansion in the European market impacted its growth and brand visibility internationally?

Esrat Jahan Chowdhury: I started Tulika in 2017. I consider it my second child. I conducted a lot of research, attended training, visited many factories, talked with senior exporters, communicated with banks, and completed all documentation to launch my career in the export segment. I got valuable suggestions from a friend who lives in Europe. Eventually, I took a gold membership at Alibaba and started searching for buyers for my products on that platform. Initially, the order quantity was meagre from the buyers, but once the orders were dispatched successfully, we started to get more and more orders with time.

Syed Md. Rakeen: Tulika Eco offers a wide range of jute products while also catering to customised orders. How do you ensure the quality and consistency of your products while also catering to the customisation requests of the buyers?

Esrat Jahan Chowdhury: Commitment is the utmost priority when dealing with buyers. So, I always try to maintain that, and as a result, I have received good results. We always try to design our samples in the manner our buyers prefer. Once the samples are approved, we start working on them. We always prioritise the overall quality of the process, including the quality of the fabrics, their making, packaging, and on-time delivery. That is how we work. That is why they can trust us regarding any commitment, knowing well enough that we will always maintain our commitment. Additionally, we always inform them about our local market. Hence, in my opinion, communication plays a crucial role in building trust, which is achievable by ensuring the quality and consistency of products.

Syed Md. Rakeen: Going into entrepreneurship and leaving a full-time job was not easy for you. That was indeed more challenging as a woman entrepreneur. Would you kindly share with us the challenges you faced in the earlier days? How did you overcome those?

Esrat Jahan Chowdhury: As a woman entrepreneur, establishing a business is quite difficult and challenging. For example, I did not have enough money to invest in my business. When I started getting my orders, I had to take out a loan and sell all my gold to complete the export orders. Also, my relatives and people close to me who did not have confidence in me with money were eventually convinced, as they were confident that I was not going to waste anyone’s money. This is not an easy journey for women because they have to manage both their children and families. So, if the family is not supportive, it is tough.

Syed Md. Rakeen: Around 50 female workers are employed at your production unit. May we know about your initiatives to empower local women through your business? How have those impacted their lives and families?

Esrat Jahan Chowdhury: In my factory in Dhaka, we work with some women and men, and I have other units located in a village with around 50 women working with us from home. Those women are supporting their households through the jobs we created, and they are now able to buy necessities for themselves and their children. As most of the women work from home, they do not need to go out. They can take care of their family and children while also earning. I feel really good about it. They do not depend on others.

Syed Md. Rakeen: Recently, Tulika Eco received the ‘Best New Product’ award at the NY NOW Winter Trade Show in New York City for its outstanding jute-made bags. How significant has this achievement been for your company and for Bangladesh, particularly in terms of raising the profile of the jute industry?

Esrat Jahan Chowdhury: It is a big honour for us. At the New York Show, almost 900 brands from different countries participated in the competition, and there were 12 categories for nominations. Tulika Eco managed to win a prize in one category. Even the US Embassy Ambassador, Peter Hass, also invited me to this achievement. It is undoubtedly a great honour for Tulika Eco, and I am very blessed.

Syed Md. Rakeen: The idea of exporting jute and jute-based products is gradually gaining popularity among entrepreneurs. In your opinion, how can the government support entrepreneurs in revitalising the jute industry?

Esrat Jahan Chowdhury: Nowadays, people have started using jute products. We have 17 mandatory packaging acts for using jute, but people still use plastic. So, we are in dire need of applying this obligatory packaging act. Also, the government needs to organise an international match-making fair in Bangladesh so that buyers can reach us. Particularly small entrepreneurs who cannot go to the international fair would benefit from it and get good deals. As a result, more entrepreneurs can work with jute products, and factories will survive. Eventually, this will help save our environment as well.

Syed Md. Rakeen: Although the jute industry has been in dire straits in recent times, it is slowly gathering momentum and reclaiming its lost glory as sustainable products become more popular day by day. From your perspective, what role can the industry play in promoting eco-friendly and sustainable products worldwide?

Esrat Jahan Chowdhury: Bangladesh is the world’s second-largest producer of jute. Our golden jute is known for its quality and durability. As the world becomes more conscious of eco-friendly products, jute is poised to play a crucial role in the global market. What we need to do is bring innovation to jute-based product manufacturing through cutting-edge technologies so that people are inclined to use jute-based products more and more.