Vietnamese companies have not made headway with several orders due to Covid-19 related complications. The stay-at-home mandate under the prime minister’s directive 16 has significantly affected firms’ operations. They expect a probable shift of orders to other countries. Textile-garment makers in the southern localities have had to suspend their operations due to the resurgence of the coronavirus, thus making it …

The UK’s Department for International Trade has launched a consultation to grow “free and fair” trade with lower income nations. The proposed Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) to drive free and fair trade would apply to 70 qualifying countries currently and include improvements such as lower tariffs and simpler rules of origin requirements for countries exporting to the UK. The …

Crystal International Group Limited has published a new Sustainability Report that explains how manufacturers and the wider apparel sector can innovate in the new normal post-Covid-19. Crystal International Group Limited, which comprises 20 garment manufacturing facilities, has published its 2020 Sustainability Report, which is focused on the changes manufacturers have made and can continue to make to innovate in the …

Australian consumers believe ethical purchasing is important, but are failing to follow through on their own beliefs, according to a new report. The new Australian Ethical Consumer report, released by Christian aid and development organisation Baptist World Aid Australia, analyses consumer fashion purchasing. It shows that while 87% want to change their fashion consumption habits to consume more ethically, just …

Trade unions in Myanmar are calling for comprehensive economic sanctions against the country to prevent companies using the current situation to employ casual workers in unsafe factories. The Confederation of Trade Unions of Myanmar (CTUM) says economic sanctions are needed, and for the international community to isolate the military regime. The CTUM is part of the 16-member Labour Alliance, representing …

Low-cost and high-volume apparel exports from China and other Asian countries in the global market are continuously overwhelming Ghana’s exports, according to the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), which recently said inadequate promotion of Ghanaian textiles and Afro-centric fashion in mainstream apparel channels abroad remains a bane for the sector. Opportunities do exist for the industry in Ghana. These include …

As per the statistics released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Pakistan’s total textile exports increased by 23 per cent to $15.42 billion Y-o-Y in FY 2021. Knitwear exports posted the highest growth of 37 per cent Y-o-Y basis to $3.83 in FY21 as against $ 2.80 billion in FY20. Among others, bed wear and readymade garment’s segments also recorded …

UK retail sales edged up in June from the month prior but consumer demand for apparel continues to wane with sales volumes at clothing stores falling by 4.7% The latest data released today (23 July) by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows overall UK retail sales volumes increased by 0.5% between May and June 2021, and were up 9.5% …

A new research paper has revealed what the future of the post-Covid-19 apparel industry could look like and its impact for workers, employers and governments in the Asia and Pacific region. Cornell University researchers worked with the Internationl Labor Organization (ILO) to produce the research paper called ‘Repeat, Repair or Renegotiate? The Post-Covid Future of the Apparel Industry’ which explores the industry …

Bangladesh will stay resilient, continue to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and live up to its image of a favourite destination for global investors despite the pandemic-induced economic downturn, according to a new report released by the US Department of State, which mentioned about the country’s large, young, and hard-working workforce and strategic location. The ‘2021 Investment Climate Statements’ report, which analyses …