H&M, Uniqlo, and Zara could face delays in their new clothing collections due to the ongoing political unrest in Bangladesh.
These fashion brands, along with many others, depend heavily on Bangladeshi garment factories, which have been closed indefinitely amid the protests, as reported by Reuters.
The situation turned precarious following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday, August 5, after nearly 300 fatalities resulted from a crackdown on demonstrations calling for her ousting.
As of last year, Bangladesh was the third-largest clothing exporter globally, only behind China and the European Union, according to the World Trade Organization.
H&M has voiced concerns regarding the unrest in Bangladesh, where it sources apparel from around 10,000 factories.
Zara operates 12 manufacturing clusters, with 98% of its production based in 2022 located in Bangladesh. Meanwhile, Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo, sources products from approximately 29 factories within the country.
This disruption compounds existing challenges in the fashion supply chain linked to the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea region.
H&M has been forced to postpone some of its spring/summer campaigns due to shipping delays and is increasing its efforts to relocate production closer to market while urging suppliers for early shipments to mitigate disruptions.
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