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The WRAP Up
Last week we certified 42 factories in 11 countries:
Bangladesh, China, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Peru, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Argentina
Textile and garment industry leaders in Argentina are hopeful that a new trade agreement with the United States will give them a significant boost. The agreement, signed during the recent visit of U.S. President Barack Obama, paves the way for strengthening trade ties between the U.S. and Argentina, which is one of the largest economies in South America.
(
Just Style)
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Bangladesh
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released a report looking at the current status of fire and building safety in the country amid the ongoing work of the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety. The NFPA report praised the work of the Alliance thus far, which has included training of over 1 million workers and the implementation of a hotline for workers to report security concerns, though they admit that much work remains to be done as the Alliance enters the second half of its 5-year mandate. The report was based on data collected by NFPA officials during a visit to Bangladesh in August of last year. (
Fibre2Fashion /
NFPA)
The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh says that it has cut ties with 10 additional facilities for failing to make sufficient remediations in regards to safety. In a statement, the group said that it made "many attempts" to get the facilities in question to comply, but is now asking all Accord signatory companies sourcing from these facilities to terminate their relationship with them. This now brings the total number of facilities terminated by the Accord to 23. (
Apparel Resources /
Bangladesh Accord)
The Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC) says that the country would gain nothing in a potential future bid to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The BTC, which is a government agency with the mission of protecting local industries, says that trade preferences provided by the TPP would only be redundant to preferences already secured through other means like individual bilateral agreements. BTC officials do note however that Bangladesh would face significant competition from countries like Vietnam once the TPP is enacted. (
Fibre2Fashion)
Over 90% of Nordic companies operating in Bangladesh say that they plan to increase their activities in the country over the next 3 years, according to a new survey. The "Business Confidence Survey," jointly conducted by several Nordic business groups in the country, said that the ease of doing business in Bangladesh has risen by 9% since 2013 and that 56% of Nordic businesses reported a "favorable outlook" last year. Textiles and readymade garments are the second-largest sector for Nordic companies in Bangladesh. (
Fibre2Fashion)
The government of Bangladesh says that it has lifted a ban on jute exports just four months after implementing it. Exports were cut late last year in an effort to replenish the domestic supply of jute, a goal which industry leaders say has been achieved. Several other jute importing countries, like India and Nepal, also praised the news as they looked to Bangladesh as a major source. (
Fibre2Fashion)
Cambodia
The United Nations Human Rights Commission in Cambodia says that the proposed trade union law currently under consideration violates several existing Cambodian laws in addition to several International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions. The commission says that many provisions of the new law could pave the way for increased government overreach and discrimination. A vote on the new law is expected on April 4. (
Phnom Penh Post)
Government leaders in Cambodia say that they are working to revitalize the country's silk industry by focusing on modernization, inclusivity, and sustainability. Government officials say that they will seek the support of international donors and investors to assist in producing more high-value silk products in order to create jobs and reduce poverty. Historically, silk weaving has been a way for rural Cambodian women to earn more income. (
Fibre2Fashion)
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Upcoming Events
April 7-8
New York City
Various dates and cities in China
Upcoming Training
April 6-7
Tirupur, India
April 12-13
Dongguan, China
April 14
Dongguan, China
April 15
Dongguan, China
April 28
Dhaka, Bangladesh
WRAP Blog
Latest Entry:
By: Avedis Seferian
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Purchasing Managers
Index (PMI)
March 2016 Readings Brazil: 46.0 China: 49.7 Indonesia: 48.4 Mexico: 53.2 South Korea: 49.5 Taiwan: 51.1 USA: 51.5 Vietnam: 50.7 Source: Markit Economics
The Purchasing Managers Index (
PMI
) measures growth in a country's manufacturing based on surveys of selected companies. Readings above 50 indicate growth while readings below 50 indicate contraction.
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