Myanmar news and archive

Why Bestseller, H&M and Primark are resuming sourcing in Myanmar

After a military coup on 1 February 2021 caused a state of emergency to be declared in Myanmar and protests by the population against the military junta’s seizure of power were met with violence, quite a few buyers withdrew from the Southeast Asian country for the time being. After a temporary pause, some apparel companies like Bestseller, H&M...

Business

Myanmar factory output at record low

The military crackdown in Myanmar is affecting factory workers. The Purchasing Mangers’ Index (PMI) conducted between March 12 and 23 was at 27.5, down from February’s 27.7. The news was reported by Business of Fashion. A figure below 50 is a sign of contraction, and these numbers are a record low. Input prices have risen for the sixth...

Business

Made in Myanmar: What can brands and retailers do?

Following the military coup in Myanmar on 1st February 2021, a state of emergency has been declared in the Southeast Asian country, which is an attractive sourcing location for the textile and garment industry. Tens of thousands of people are taking to the streets every day, demanding the release and reinstatement of head of government Aung San...

Business

H&M puts a freeze on Myanmar orders

After the deadly use of force against protesters in Myanmar, Swedish retailer H&M said that it will put a pause on placing orders in the country. To date, police and military and police have killed more than 50 people to quell demonstrations and strikes against a February 1 military coup. The news was reported by Reuters. H&M has 45 direct...

Business

Myanmar: female garment workers attacked while on strike

Dozens of female garment workers in Myanmar’s biggest city Yangon were attacked by assailants wielding iron bars on Monday. Hundreds of garment workers at Fu Yuen Garment Co. Ltd., which produced ready-made garments for German discounter Lidl and up until April this year for British fashion brand Joules, have been on strike since August, news...

BusinessFeatured

Will Myanmar become the new Bangladesh?

Tuesday marked five years since thousands of workers were killed by the collapse of the Rana Plaza textile factory in Bangladesh. Due to the extremely low wages and tax advantages Bangladesh is the center for fast and cheap production of fast fashion. However, more and more Western fashion companies nowadays are moving further south-east, to...

Fashion Featured

Child Labour & Low Wages: The Real Cost of Producing Fashion in Myanmar

London - As Myanmar continues to invest in becoming one of the leading garment-producing and exporting countries, a new report shines a light on the growing number of issues emerging in its fashion sector - which includes children as young as 14 working for as little as 13 pence an hour to produce apparel for high street retailers. Fast-fashion...

BusinessFeatured

Factories in Myanmar employ 14-year olds to make clothes for H&M

London - In spite of the pledge made by leading retailers to introduce substantial change in the working conditions of its millions of garment workers around the world following the Rana Plaza collapse in April, 2013, conditions have yet to improve overall, even in other production countries. H&M has been called out for working with apparel...