Brazil has reached a settlement with the United States regarding a long-standing cotton dispute with the World Trade Organization (WTO). Under the settlement, Brazil will relinquish all rights to countermeasures against U.S. trade in return for a contribution from the United States to the Brazil Cotton Institute for US$300 million. The dispute has been running

A factory worker was killed and two others injured after a fire broke out at the Mega Yarn Dyeing Mills factory in Gazipur. Authorities say that the fire began during early morning hours on the 3rd floor of the facility. It had reportedly been inspected by both the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in

Sri Lanka has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China to begin negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement. The agreement was finalized during the recent visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the country, the first by a Chinese Head of State in 28 years. Under the proposed agreement, all Sri Lankan-made apparel products

A study conducted by the University of Melbourne found that many homeworkers involved in making clothes are making less than half of the minimum wage. The study surveyed 56 “outworkers” in 3 Melbourne neighborhoods and found that they were paid on average US$6.80 per hour, significantly less than the US$14.90 federal minimum. Study authors say

The International Apparel Federation (IAF) has commissioned a new study that will look at the growing influence that developing countries are gaining thanks to the global apparel industry. The study, conducted by Indian apparel consultancy Technopak, will be given to all delegates at the upcoming World Fashion Convention in Medellin, Colombia. The IAF says that

Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce says it is launching a new “Cotton-to-Clothing” initiative aimed at reviving the country’s cotton and textile industries. Fueled in part by a US$14 million grant from the European Union, the goals of the initiative include growing cotton output by about 1,200 Kg per hectare and increasing textile exports to

Vinatex, the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group, says it raised over US$58 million in its Initial Public Offering (IPO). The group says it sold over 110.5 million shares to 87 investors, half of whom were foreign, at US 49¢ per share. A plan to privatize the group was approved by the country’s Prime Minister

North Korean textile exports to China are expected to quadruple to US$800 million this year as compared to 2010, according to the Korea International Trade Association. Analysts say that an abundance of low-cost labor in North Korea is one of the main drivers behind the surge, as manufacturers work to escape rising wages in China

India has begun a new chapter of economic relations with China. During the recent visit by Chinese President Xi Jinpung, both countries agreed on a 5-year economic and trade development plan and laid the financial groundwork for a pair of new Chinese industrial parks in India. Both countries also say they are working to improve

The top textile and garment exporter in Ethiopia is a Turkish company, according to the Ethiopian Textile Industry Development Institute. The group says that Ayka Addis Textile & Investment Group accounted for over half of Ethiopian textile exports for 2013-14, about US$63 million. Most Ethiopian textile exports went to Germany, followed by Turkey, Italy, China,