Surprise rise in garment exports from Myanmar

Amidst growing calls for fashion brands and retailers to consider pulling out of sourcing from Myanmar, World Bank figures reveal that garment exports from the country actually shot up for much of last year.

Reports that exports of garments from Myanmar to the European Union, Japan and the US reached a record high of US$3.3 billion from January to September last year will have raised many eyebrows in our industry.

This came despite multiple calls for brands to pull out of Myanmar - or at least seriously consider the implications of staying - because of the dire human rights situation following the military coup of February 2001.