The Tirupur Exporters Association (TEA) says that the city’s knitwear companies will begin focusing on using more recycled water in their operations. Speaking at a recent trade event, TEA General Secretary TR Vijaykumar noted that the industry uses upwards of 100 million gallons of water each day and that it is important for the sector

The government of Pakistan has announced a new Rs. 180 billion (US$1.7 billion) package aimed at increasing the country’s exports. The package includes the removal of customs duties and sales tax on the import of cotton and the removal of sales tax on imported textile machinery. The package will be in effect through June 30,

Sri Lanka has regained membership to the European Union’s GSP+ (Generalized System of Preferences) trade program. In a statement, the European Commission said that it agreed to readmit the country if it also committed to implement a group of 27 international conventions on human rights, labor conditions, and environmental protections. The measure can still be

Fashion company Ralph Lauren has announced a new effort aimed at ensuring that only ethically produced wood-based products end up in their clothes. Rising cotton prices have increased the demand for alternative fibers like viscose, rayon, and modal in recent years, all of which are based on wood. The company says it wants to prevent

The Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (VINATEX) says that it expects the value of export sales of garments to grow by 12% this year. In a statement, the group noted that it also expects an uptick in production value as well and that they already have enough orders to keep their production facilities busy

Bangladesh’s government and its readymade garment industry need to ensure that the rights of all workers, including the right to freely associate and collectively bargain, are protected, according to U.S. ambassador Marcia Bernicat. During a recent conference on the state of fire safety in the country, Bernicat praised the progress that has been made in

Labor leaders in Cambodia are expressing concern about language in the proposed 2017 minimum wage law. Specifically, they are concerned about a line in the proposed policy which prohibits any group from “creating obstacles or putting illegal pressure” on future minimum wage discussions. They say that the law does not clearly define “obstacles” or “illegal

The recent decline in value of the Indian rupee may be positive for garment exports, according to several industry insiders who also warn that these benefits may be short lived. In an interview with Fibre2Fashion, the head of the Federation of Indian Export Organizations says that the value of the rupee usually takes a slight

Authorities in Macedonia are investigating the vandalism of a building used by a group advocating for the rights of garment workers in the country. Police say the building in the city of Stip, used by a group called “Loud-The Silent Majortiy,” was subject to stoning on November 26 and the building’s sign was also damaged

A new report published by a labor activist group in Myanmar says that the country still lags behind in terms of rights and protections for its garment workers. The report, published by “Progressive Voice Myanmar,” is based on interviews with 199 mostly female workers and says that global economic pressures have pushed out many efforts