Wal-Mart Stores Inc said it has found safety problems at some of the factories in Bangladesh with which it does business, and that most of those factories have since made improvements. The US retail group tested the safety of more than 200 factories, a company spokesman said Sunday. “Of these, 32 had failures in their initial inspections, but all but two have since addressed those issues.” Wal-Mart has posted on its website the inspection reports of 75 factories, and will post the remai

After the deadliest ever garment factory accident – the collapse of the Rana Plaza building on 24th April 2013 – workplace safety, image concerns and demands for higher wages have become major concerns for Bangladesh’s apparel industry. FashionUnited spoke to the parties involved on site in Dhaka. Almost daily, garment workers are staging demonstrations demanding higher pay causing suspension of operations in several factories. They are blocking roads and destroying public property to press h

A programme aimed at promoting and supporting sustainable production of garments in Myanmar was launched at the first-ever meeting of the EU-Myanmar Task Force, held in Yangon. The ?2 million SMART Myanmar project aims to boost competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by building their capacity and increasing their skills and knowledge in partnership with local organizations, Myanmar Times reported. The 3-year (2013-2015) SMEs for Environmental, Accountability, Responsibility

China's decision to import yarn in bulk may elevate cotton prices internationally, a phenomenon anxiously waited by the Pakistan cotton farmers selling their stocks on an average basis prices ranging between Rs 3000 to Rs 3100 in Sindh and Punjab. According to the Cotton Review of Pakistan Central Cotton Committee, under the Textile Division of Ministry of Commerce, Sindh has reaped up more than 70 percent of the assessed cotton crop for the year 2013-14. Farmers seem satisfied in terms of Ph

The textile industry in China and India are exploring opportunities for joint ventures in the areas of non-woven and technical textile and other value added items in both countries. A 12-member Chinese delegation, headed by Wang Tiankai, President, China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC), were in the city as part of the last leg of their four-day visit to India, to explore opportunities for better cooperation and understanding in the textile sector. After visiting some facilitie

India has emerged as the most preferred destination for global brands and stores like Zara, H&M, Tommy Hilfiger and Walmart, apex industry body for apparel sector AEPC today said. Apparel Export Promotion Council Chairman A Sakthivel said that India's garment industry has its inherent strengths in terms of design and raw material. "All big brands and chain stores are sourcing from India. It is the most preferred destination for brands like Zara, Gap, H&M, Mango, Tommy Hilfiger. Pro

Employees at Indian companies can expect an average 11 per cent pay hike in 2014, according to a survey conducted by professional services company Towers Watson. However, after factoring in inflation, the rise would be just 2 per cent. Taking inflation into account, Japan at 0.5 per cent and India at 2 per cent are among countries offering the smallest rises, while China and Vietnam lead the way with 4.9 per cent. “Indian companies have traditionally offered high salary increases as compa

Bangladesh has received a request from Sri Lanka on jute cultivation in its northwestern province Puttalam where Colombo assured of giving long-term lease of lands. The request came in a meeting between Sri Lankan President Mohinda Rajapaksa and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina here on Friday. Sheikh Hasina is now in Colombo to attend Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting (CHOGM). The Prime Minister expressed Bangladesh's interest in extending cooperation in cultivating unuse

Garment factory workers sew clothing for export at a factory in Phnom Penh’s Sen Sok district in September Hong Menea Cambodian exports to the United States saw a 3.7 per cent year-on-year increase in the first nine months of this year, according to the US Department of Commerce. Officials and insiders called the figure just a “slight increase”. While the government and the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC), said production had been slowed by garment workers strikes,

Hong Kong's Addchance Holdings Ltd says it has opened a $20 million garment factory in Cambodia to produce sweaters and socks for Europe and other markets. The company, which already operates the River Rich and Winner knitting mills in Cambodia in addition to other plants in southern and eastern China, said the new plant had 700 workers producing 250,000 sweaters a month. In a statement released in Hong Kong Thursday, Addchance said the new "green" factory was inspired by British retailer