H&M, Benetton Pause Myanmar Distribution Amid Coup Protests

Pro-democracy protesters in Myanmar are grabbing the fashion industry’s attention, and unionized garment workers in the country are demanding more support. It’s the latest example of fashion brands needing to respond to sociopolitical issues in supplier countries.

Pressing pause: H&M and Benetton have temporarily suspended distribution from Myanmar, where tensions have escalated since the Feb. 1 military coup.

• Around 45 of H&M’s ~850 direct suppliers are in Myanmar, where the retailer has sourced for seven years.
• 2% of Benetton’s suppliers are located in Myanmar.

Garment workers, who have now become the face of the protests, make up a large portion of the country’s workforce. In Myanmar, clothing accounted for 31% of $4.59 billion in 2018 exports, per the NYT.

• Workers are insisting brands including H&M, C&A, Mango, and Zara owner Inditex not fire workers for joining the pro-democracy protests; numerous firings have been reported.

Zoom out: Brands that employ factory workers in Myanmar, Bangladesh, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Ethiopia have fallen short on pay. From March to May of last year, millions of workers—mostly women—didn’t receive between $3 billion and $5 billion in owed wages, according to the Clean Clothes Campaign.