Three years on, Choi and other manufacturers operating in Vietnam say they are struggling to break even due to higher transportation and labour costs and weaker sales.They hope the upcoming second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi will lead to an easing of sanctions on North Korea and a revival of the Kaesong facility.
“We were abandoned, then given false hopes, but nothing really changed,” Choi, president of garment maker DMF, told Reuters at his Hanoi office.So far, warming ties between South and North Korea, and last year’s historic first summit between Kim and Trump in Singapore had yet to bear fruit, Choi said.”I hope to see a real change from this summit.”HOPE ON SANCTIONSThe Trump administration has previously said there would be no easing of sanctions until North Korea completely relinquishes its nuclear arsenal.But a week before his second summit with Kim, Trump signalled a possible softening of stance, saying he would love to be able to take sanctions off if there is meaningful progress on denuclearisation.South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who held multiple summits with North Korea’s K…
Read moreAt least five Leicester garment factories have been reportedly forced to close following an outbreak of coronavirus among their workers.A source told the Mirror that more than 20 members of staff had tested positive at one of these factories, including the owner. “Workers have not been furloughed and, when these factories closed, they had no money and so they went to other factories to find work. That is what is spreading the disease,” the source said.
It comes as a report from Labour Behind the Label accused garment factories in the city of ordering workers to continue to report for duty even when they were sick.According to testimony compiled by the campaign group, some factories implemented no physical distancing measures during the pandemic.A spike in coronavirus cases in Leicester prompted the Government to put the city under a tighter lockdown this week. While restrictions continue to be eased in the rest of England, non-essential shops and schools have been ordered to close again in Leicester for at least two weeks to halt the spread of the virus.According to The Guardian, experts have blamed garment factories and food processing plants for the increase in cases…
Read moreThere, in a narrow alley that is covered with plastic, about half a dozen women sit or stand as they braid long strips for use in belts, sandals and bags. They talk and laugh as their fingers fly, knotting each strip at the end when it is done.”I have been doing this for about 10 years. We used to get more work, now we get less, and get paid less,” said Nadelkari, who makes about 100 pieces a day. She is paid about 24 rupees ($0.40) for a set of 12 finished pieces.
“We only get paid once in six months, and they don’t keep proper accounts. But my husband doesn’t let me go out and work, and we need the money, so I can’t say ‘no’ to the work.”Nadelkari and her friends are among nearly 38 million home-based workers in India, according to a 2012 survey by WIEGO, a global non-profit focused on informal workers.Restricted to their homes because of limited mobility and lack of childcare, they are engaged in providing low-paid manufacturing or services for local and global supply chains.The women stitch garments, embroider and attach sequins, make shoe uppers, handicrafts, as well as roll incense sticks and prepare food items such as pickles.Unlike self-employed home-based workers …
Read moreIn the first three quarters of 2018, Dutch consumers spent a total of €1.253 billion at EU e-stores outside of the Netherlands. This is an increase of 16%, compared to the first three quarters of 2017, reports Statistics Netherlands.The number of sales by Dutch e-commerce companies increased by almost 18% during Q3 2018. In the first three quarters of 2018, the number of sales by Dutch e-stores increased by 19%, compared to the first three quarters of 2017.
The revenue of Dutch pure online players increased by 14 percent in the first three quarters. The sales by Dutch retailers operating both brick-and-mortar as well as a web store, increased by 26%. The total revenue of the Dutch retail trade was more than 3% higher in the first three quarters of 2018.Even though cross border EU spending is on the rise in the Netherlands, Statistics Netherlands said that it still consists a relatively small part of total consumer spending. In 2017, cross border EU spending compromised less than 2% of the total retail sales in the Netherlands.Statistics Netherlands says that its not always easy for Dutch consumers to distinguish Dutch online stores from foreign ones, because online store…
Read moreAn agreement was signed at the Human Rights and Garment Conference in the Hague, the Netherlands on May 18, 2017.The first trial project will start in Vietnam and Bangladesh in factories from which FWF members and Better Work business partners source.
The FWF and Better Work will join forces to fulfil three primary objectives: coordinating factory assessments to reduce the duplication of audits; streamlining improvement processes so more brands can collaborate on remediation; and making a wider range of training opportunities available to tackle priority workplace issues such as sexual harassment, health and safety.“Together we are capable of better facilitating cooperation between garment brands on improved working conditions. Collaborating with Better Work provides a great opportunity to learn from one other. After all, we have the same objectives, just different approaches,” said FWF associate director Margreet Vrieling.The collaboration will also enable both parties to expand their work in strategic new areas. Engaging new European brands and smaller garment companies will bring benefits for Better Work, while Fair Wear Foundation will gain access to data gathered …
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