Political violence in Bangladesh continues to increase amid growing tensions between supporters of the country’s two primary, but opposing, political parties. Demonstrations have reached a boiling point this week following news that a close aide to opposition party leader Khaleda Zia was shot on January 13 in what many international observers are calling an assassination

Cambodian garment industry analysts say that the number of strikes and the amount of productivity lost because of them was significantly down in 2014 after peaking in 2013. According to the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia (GMAC), there were 108 strikes in 2014 and 147 in 2013, though these statistics do not account for the

A Hong Kong-based labor rights group has released a report accusing Japanese fashion brand Uniqlo of sourcing from exploitative factories with substandard working conditions. The report, published by Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (Sacom), says that some of Uniqlo’s factories forced workers to put in excessive hours in hazardous conditions without proper safety measures.

India’s textile industry could reach US$350 billion in sales by 2025 if it focuses on diversification, according to the Confederation of the Indian Textile Industry (CITI). Speaking at the recent Texfair, Confederation officials say that Man-Made Fibers could hold the key to this growth because they are in high demand not only domestically, but internationally

An Italian court has convicted 3 Chinese garment factory executives in connection with a deadly 2013 factory fire in the city of Prato that killed 7 people. The owner of the Teresa Moda factory was sentenced to over 8 years in prison while a pair of factory managers were each sentenced to just under 7

Vietnam’s largest foreign investor is Hong Kong, according to the country’s Foreign Investment Agency (FIA), overtaking other countries like Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan. According to the FIA, the vast majority of Hong Kong investment has been in the textile sector. In 2014, Hong Kong companies invested over US$3 billion in 99 new projects and 23

Violence has erupted in Bangladesh following protests that began on Monday, January 5 demonstrating against last year’s controversial elections. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) called the protest on the first anniversary of the election which they say was unfair and resulted in the incumbent Awami League retaining power. At least 7 people have been confirmed

At least 63 workers were injured at a factory in Cambodia’s Kandal Province after an electrical issue triggered a stampede on the morning of January 8. Investigators say that the panic ensued after several workers witnessed an electrician improperly repair an electrical component, which subsequently triggered panic among them and sparked a stampede. The injured

The government of Egypt says it will cease its subsidies to cotton producers beginning with the next agricultural season. Government leaders cite sagging demand, both domestically and globally, as motivation for their decision, saying that many local textile mills have switched to using imported cotton rather than Egyptian product. Officials are also urging growers to

Garments produced in Fiji will now have improved access to the Australian market thanks to a new trading policy implemented by the country this year. Australia’s new Developing Country (DC) Preferences, which took effect on January 1 and replaces the previous South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement-Textile, Clothing, and Footwear (SPARTECA-TFC), will allow