Page 20 - TEXtalks International October/November 2022

20

Fashion Accountability Report 2022 highlights

major issues in low-income countries

Some dedicated watchdogs are monitoring the Chanel, J.Crew, Allbirds, on their journey to
violations of labor and environmental laws committed intersectional social and environmental sustainability.
by garment producers in low-cost countries Companies lifting compliance issues include
producing apparel for different brands. Re/make American Eagle Outfitters, Gap, Kering, and
released its Fashion Accountability Report for 2022 Lululemon, revealed Barenblat, the CEO of R/make.
that charged brands overlooking sustainability and She said they are making progress. However, there is
social justice issues in manufacturing hubs like a need to engage more companies to assist and
Bangladesh, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, guide their suppliers toward social justice. The
among other places. brands would have to set aside money to facilitate
the transition in this regard.
It states that garment workers undergo physical harm
because of outdated building codes and other The report appreciated some brands that are sincere
violations, and even wage theft is still rampant. The in providing justice to garment workers. Citing an
workers carrying the brunt of the load operate under example, it revealed Victoria’s Secret & Co., settled one
pressure and economic pain as the prices of the largest ever single-factory wage theft cases by
move downward. fronting the money to more than 1,250 Thai garment
workers who were owed $8.3 million when their factory,
R/make reviewed 58 large companies, including Brilliant Alliance, shuttered during the pandemic.

Bangladesh facing slow growth due to

multiple factors in its RMG sector

While exports in other sectors in Bangladesh have time. Going forward the work orders are expected to
declined but the exports in the readymade garment fall further. This may result in layoffs and create
sectors were still in double-digit (10 percent) in the worker unrest. The larger units would also be in
first four months of this fiscal although the growth rate trouble soon as this trend is likely to continue.
during July-October 2021 was double.
In July-October, garment exports grew only 10.55
Industry experts point out that among the reasons for percent year-on-year to $13.95 billion. It rose 20.78
slow growth is high inflation in Europe where the bulk percent during the identical period last year. Of the
(60 percent) of RMG from Bangladesh goes. The gas total earnings from the apparel segment, $7.72 billion
and power crisis in garment factories is another
factor. The delay in the placement of orders by foreign came from knitwear, which was up 7.14 percent.
buyers is yet another reason for slow growth. The Sahidullah Azim, vice-president of the Bangladesh
Russian market has been lost due to the war in Ukraine Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association was
and the decline in global demand is another factor. not hopeful of the early revival of orders. He told the
media that shipments may fall by as much
Experts do not see a return of full growth for a long as 20 percent.

October/November 2022