THE minimum wage of workers in Shanghai will be raised to 1,820 yuan (US$293) per month starting next month, up 200 yuan from last year. The increase is 30 yuan more compared with last year’s increase of 170 yuan. Meanwhile, the minimum wage per hour will be hiked to 17 yuan from 14 yuan. Officials said the adjustment was made based on many factors such as residents’ living expenditures, consumer price index, average salary and economic development. It also took companies’ business status and

Firefighters were hindered by toxic fumes during the blaze near Puning, eastern Guangdong. SCMP Pictures At least 11 people died and six were injured in a garment factory fire yesterday in an eastern Guangdong city notorious for such accidents. The blaze broke out at about 1.30pm in a four-storey building that housed raw materials, a sewing workshop and a workers' dormitory in Shadui village, Puning city, near Shantou, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported. Seven fire trucks and 45 fir

From collapsing pushchairs to chemical-polluted shoes — an ever-rising number of toxic toys and skin-irritating textiles are being removed from supermarket shelves by Europe’s consumer safety squad. Products from China top the list of suspect items. Thanks to better policing, Europe’s Rapid Information System (RAPEX) issued 2,364 notifications of unsafe non-food products in 2013. That was a 3.8 per cent increase on the level the previous year, the European Union’s Consumer Affairs Commi

A textile dying unit in powerloom town of Bhiwandi here was completely gutted in a major fire, police said on Tuesday. The blaze occurred just before midnight in the Tapasya Dying Unit situated in Balaji compound, they said. Firemen took more than eight hours to douse the flames after a dozen fire engines drawn from areas like Kalyan, Ambernath, Ulhasnagar and Thane rushed to the spot. However, there were no casualties in the fire, Bhoiwada police said. The cause of the fire is sti

East China's Shandong Province will raise its minimum pay by about 10 percent next month in a bid to attract workers and help them offset rises in living costs. As of March 1, the minimum monthly wage for full-time workers in Shandong will be raised to 1,500 yuan (245 U.S. dollars), 1,350 yuan or 1,200 yuan in the province's different cities, depending on economic level, the provincial government said in a statement Tuesday. The 1,500 yuan level is the fifth highest nationwide. The rise

Walt Disney, a US licensor of Disney-branded consumer products, is dropping Pakistan from the Permitted Sourcing Countries list as the country failed to allay its concerns regarding certain UN standards. — File Photo Walt Disney, a US licensor of Disney-branded consumer products, is dropping Pakistan from the Permitted Sourcing Countries list as the country failed to allay its concerns regarding certain UN standards. Pakistan is ranked low on World Governance Index (WGI). The production of

Ethiopia exported US$ 60 million worth of textiles and apparel during the first six months of the fiscal year 2013-14 that began on July 8, 2013, according to the Textile Industry Development Institute (TIDI). The exports were $15 million higher than the amount earned during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year, the Ethiopian News Agency reported quoting TIDI director Sleshi Lema. TIDI is supporting Ethiopian textile and clothing industries to realize the $1 billion target

A fire broke out at a towel factory in Bilal Colony and reduced goods worth million of rupees to ash on Sunday, said the Korangi Industrial Area police. According to the Central Fire Station, the fire erupted around 3:15pm and engulfed the factory within minutes. Four fire engines of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation arrived on the scene to douse the blaze, which caused thick clouds of black smoke to be seen in the far-flung areas of the city. It took the firefighters around three ho

Being aware that it is not easy to take advantage of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) mainly due to the certificates of origin of input materials, Vietnamese textile and garment enterprises are trying to take every available opportunity to increase their market shares. A report by the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Vietnam Economic News. To boost exports to the European Union (EU) market, Executive Director of Garment 10 Corporation Than Duc Viet said although the GSP offers many

The light industry of Uzbekistan—which includes textile and garment sectors, is one of the fastest growing industries, and currently the country is exporting its textile products to over 40 nations, informed the Uzbek State Joint Stock Company—Uzbekyengilsanoat, during a recent press conference held in Tashkent. According to a statement issued by Uzbekyengilsanoat, the press conference was held with an objective to discuss the latest developments in the light industry of the country, especia