Better Work to collaborate on HERproject in Cambodia
April 16th, 2013, Fibre2fashion, Business & Commercial Development, Garment Industry, Industry, International Relations, Labor
In May 2013, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) and Better Work will launch HERproject in Cambodia. HERproject links multinational companies and their factories to local NGOs to create sustainable workplace programmes that increase women’s health awareness.
The project also seeks to demonstrate the return on investment for factory-based women’s health programmes, through benefits that include increased productivity, reduced absenteeism and turnover, and improved worker-management relations. …
To support scaling the successful methodology for worker training and empowerment, Better Work will manage HERproject Cambodia, which will be implemented by an appropriate local NGO partner. …
Fibers 2 Fashion Staff
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=144819
Limited yarn supply troubles Cambodian silk industry
March 11th, 2013, Fibre2fashion, Business & Commercial Development, Economics, Garment Industry, Imports, Industry, International Relations, Production, Social Concerns, Textiles, Trade
The silk industry of Cambodia is in rapid decline due to limited domestic supply of silk yarn and high cost of imported raw materials.
According to the latest data released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)-Cambodia, the Southeast Asian nation imports 395 tonnes of raw silk yarn from countries such as China and Vietnam, and only 5 percent of raw materials are produced in the country. …
A research report on Cambodian silk industry released by the FAO states, “Silkworm diseases, low quality silkworm varieties and rudimentary production techniques kept cocoon production low. Silk producers are unable to meet international standards because of traditional manual reeling techniques.”
Fibre2fashion Staff
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/textile-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=122102
Minimum wage may rise for Cambodian garment workers
February 12th, 2013, Fibre2fashion, Business & Commercial Development, Exports, Garment Industry, Industry, Labor, Textiles
The Cambodia’s Ministry of Labour has scheduled a meeting on February 26 with representatives of various unions to discuss the new minimum wage for garment workers in the country.
However, the Ministry expects the various workers’ unions to agree on what the new wage should be before they attend the meeting. …
The Ministry of Labour is working on reaching a consensus to raise the minimum wage of clothing workers following a call given by Prime Minister Hun Sen to raise the salaries of garment workers in order to prevent them from moving to neighbouring countries to draw better wages. …
In 2012, Cambodia exported clothing and textiles worth US$ 4.61 billion, registering a rise of nine percent year-on-year.
Fibre2fashion Staff
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=120969
Cambodia’s garment exports grow in 2012
January 18th, 2013, Fibre2fashion, Business & Commercial Development, Economics, Exports, Garment Industry, Industry, International Relations, Labor, Production, Social Concerns, Textiles, Trade
The exports of garments and textiles from Southeast Asian nation of Cambodia grew to US$ 4.61 billion, up nine percent over total textiles and garment exports worth US$ 4.24 billion made in 2011, according to The Phnom Penh Post report.
However, the rise in garment and textile exports is lower than the 10.2 percent year-on-year increase in Cambodia’s overall exports achieved in 2012. …
Last year, Cambodian apparel workers resorted to strike demanding higher wages, much earlier than the next scheduled review of wages in 2014.
The strikes resulted in a decrease in productivity of Cambodian clothing manufacturing units and made the sector less competitive compared with other countries like Bangladesh and India, Mr. Ieng said. …
Fibre2fashion Staff
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=120092
‘Fashion Mobs’ to press for living wage in Cambodia
December 12th, 2012, Fibre2fashion, Business & Commercial Development, Exports, Garment Industry, Industry, International Relations, Labor, Production, Social Concerns, Trade
Christmas shoppers stand to be taken by surprise this month as campaigners take action in shopping centers around Europe to raise awareness of poverty wages of Cambodian garment workers. With these ‘fashion mobs’, they pressure H&M, Inditex (Zara), Levi’s and Gap to introduce a living wage in Cambodia. …
“The very low wages are one of the main challenges for garment workers in Cambodia. They see themselves forced to work very long hours, they do not earn sufficiently to buy enough nutritious food and are unable to satisfy the needs of their families. The bottom line is that the workers are paid poverty wages,” says Jeroen Merk of the International Clean Clothes Campaign. …
The CCC wants retailers to publicly support the Cambodian trade union’s goal of a USD 131/month minimum wage goal as a first step towards a proper living wage, and to produce an action plan to ensure suppliers pay their workers accordingly. At present, the minimum wage for a garment worker in Cambodia is USD 61/month. …
Clean Clothes Campaign
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=118895
Cambodia to get its first garment training institute
December 5th, 2012, Fibre2fashion, Garment Industry, Industry, News Source
The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) has inked an agreement with French international development agency – Agence Francaise de Development (AFD), for obtaining a loan of US$ 3.5 million to set up [sic] first garment training institute in the country.
As per the agreement the extended loan, with a 15-year repayment period, would be used to set up a garment training institute in the Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone in two years period. …
Fibre2fashion
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=118660
Slowdown in garment exports from Cambodia
October 4th, 2012, Fibre2fashion, Business & Commercial Development, Economics, Exports, Foreign Investment, Garment Industry, Industry, International Relations, Trade
The slump in global markets has depressed demand for Cambodian products, leading to reduced growth forecasts by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for 2012 and 2013.
“Falling global demand, especially in Europe and the US, means that the industry sector will grow at a slower pace this year,” said ADB Senior Country Economist for Cambodia Peter Brimble.
Demand by major trading partners for Cambodia’s garment and footwear exports has softened this year, with US imports of garments and footwear from Cambodia growing by only 2.6% to $1.5 billion in the first 7 months of 2012, and imports to EU increasing by 20.9% to $798 million in the first 6 months, both decelerating sharply over 2011 levels…
Fibers2Fashion Staff
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=116497
New report evaluates decade of Better Factories Cambodia
September 5th, 2012, Fibre2fashion, Garment Industry, Industry, Labor, Reports, Textiles, Trade
A new report – 10 Years of the Better Factories Cambodia Project: A critical evaluation – has been released by Clean Clothes Campaign and Community Legal Education Center. Started in 2001, the goal of the Better Factories program is to improve the working conditions in Cambodian factories and end sweat-shop production.The report discusses the BFC’s achievements and limitations from a worker rights’ perspective.
2011 marked the 10th anniversary of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Better Factories Cambodia (BFC) project in Cambodia. The overarching goal of the BFC is to gradually improve the working conditions of factories in Cambodia and ultimately increase production of sweat-shop-free goods…
Community Legal Education Center (CLEC)
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=115382
International expo in Cambodia to boost garment sector
August 18th, 2012, Fibre2fashion, Garment Industry, Textiles
The four-day second Cambodia International Machinery Industrial Fair (CIMIF 2012) has begun in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh.
Leading global brands of industrial equipment for textiles, garment and accessories are among the more than 200 exhibitors from 20 countries displaying their products.
The exhibition provides a platform for traders, buyers, manufacturers, distributors and government officials to exchange ideas for development of industrial sector.
The expo also provides manufacturers with a chance to modernize their machinery so as to enhance their production capacity, according to the organizers of the event…
Fibre2fashion Staff
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=114673