H&M took a clear stance in Myanmar Like Benetton it suspended orders from suppliers in the country, expressing its support to workers on strike
The situation that has arisen in Myanmar after the coup d'etat is very complicated, a situation that has impact and effects also on the fashion industry, which for the first time is taking a clear position on the matter. Here are the key points to understand the context in which fashion brands are operating.
- Context
- - On February 1st, in a coup, the army took power in Myanmar.
- - The production of many brands of the fast fashion sector is located in the Southeast Asian country, such as H&M, Inditex, Primark and Benetton.
- - Myanmar textile workers have organized into unions carrying out strikes, protests and sit-ins against the authoritarian drift of the government.
Effects on the fashion industry- - H&M was the first brand to suspend orders from its suppliers in Myanmar.
- - Last Friday, Benetton also suspended production in the country, declaring itself on the side of those fighting for democracy.
- - Workers are asking for support from big international brands, called to take sides politically, taking a clear position on the violence and repression carried out by the military regime.
Furthermore, on February 19, the trade unions and the big international fashion companies that had signed the ACT, the Action, Collaboration, Transformation agreement, initially created to negotiate adequate salaries, had declared that they were closely following the events in Myanmar, declaring their adherence to democratic principles. Among the members of the agreement stand out H&M, Inditex and Primark. The Myanmar Clothing Workers Federation stressed that it's crucial that international brands step up to reiterate factory owners to respect workers' right to assemble and the right of freedom of expression.
In any case, it's a very complicated situation, both for fashion brands and for workers. For brands, this can be a fundamental opportunity to re-establish their role as cultural makers, cultural forces whose influence goes far beyond seasonal trends and fashion items, but that can be strategic and crucial in matters of public importance, such as sustainability or working conditions. Especially in a historical moment like this, fashion brands are called to take sides, to take a clear position on political and social issues, especially when there's a military regime already condemned by the international community. It remains to be seen how many and which other brands will follow the H&M and Benetton's decisions, and what repercussions they'll have on the protests and working conditions in Myanmar.
