Myanmar

Republic of the Union of Myanmar │ ပြည်ထောင်စု သမ္မတ မြန်မာနိုင်ငံတော်‌

Since the early 1990s, the garment sector in Myanmar has contributed significantly to the national economy. Over the past three decades, the industry has experienced varied growth rates. Historically, the sector mainly served customers from Japan and the Republic of Korea. Interest from retailers in North America and Europe has been low. The sector was also excluded from accessing these markets when the U.S. and Europe imposed sanctions on the country in the first decade of the 21st century. Since the lifting of these sanctions (in 2011 and 2013, respectively), big fashion companies have increasingly sought factories in Myanmar to source their products. More than 90 per cent of Myanmar's 400,000 exporting factory garment workers are women, mostly between 16 and 27 years old.

The garment sector was expected to experience rapid growth until February 2021. The military coup has severely disrupted the garment sector in Myanmar, creating both instability and uncertainty over its future as a regional sourcing destination.

Given the current situation and the limited availability of reliable data, the Asia Garment Hub will not be uploading sustainability resources from/about Myanmar until further notice. We will however continue to maintain the Myanmar country page, as well as keeping users informed of industry relevant updates from Myanmar via our newsfeed.

Population

Total

54,806,014 (2021)

Gross Domestic Product

GDP per Capita (constant USD, thousand)

1,292.1 (2021)

Human Development Index Ranking

HDI Rank (out of 191 countries)

149 (2021)

Garment/Textile Workers

Number of workers in the garment/textile sector

500,000 (2021)

Women Workers in the Garment/Textile Industry

Percentage of women workers employed in the garment/textile industry

85-90% (2021)

Number of Garment/Textile Factories

Number of factories in the garment/textile industry

543 (active) out of 789 (Dec 2022)

Garment/Textile Industry Exports

(USD$ billion)

USD 3.7 billion (2022)

Garment/Textile Industry Size

Percentage of total exports

9.2% (2021)

Key Garment/Textile Export Markets

Top five countries ($USD value exported and subsequent percentage)

Country Percentage of Exports
Japan 21.25%
Spain 10.66%
Germany 10.4%
United Kingdom 9.1%
Netherlands 8.37%

Government Entities

Government agencies actively involved in the garment/textile industry

Ministry of Industry, Planning and Finance (MoPFI)
Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population (MoLIP)

Worker Organizations

Trade unions, Union federations, and other worker organizations

Confederation of Trade Unions Myanmar (CTUM)
Myanmar Industries Crafts and Services Trade Unions Federation (MICS)

Employer/Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce

Employers and industry related associations, private sectors associations and chambers of commerce

Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA)
Myanmar Textile Manufacturers Association (MTMA)
Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI)

Development Agencies/ International Organizations

National and international development organizations working within the garment/textile industry

ILO Vision Zero Fund
SMART Textile and Garments (SMART TaG)
Aung Myin Hmu
Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES)

Civil Society Organizations/ Non-governmental Organizations

Organizations working within the garment/textile industry

Solidarity Center

Sources of data provided

  1. Population: Population, total | Data (worldbank.org) 
  2. GDP Per Capita: GDP per capita (constant 2015 US$) | Data (worldbank.org) 
  3. HDI: Country Insights | Human Development Reports (undp.org) 
  4. Garment / Textile Workers: Myanmar Garment Manufacturer Association (MGMA) 20220114-Myanmar-Garment-Survey-2021-Report-inc-Copy-Right.pdf (myanmargarments.org)
  5. Women Workers in the Garment /Textile Industry: Myanmar Garment Manufacturer Association (MGMA) 20220114-Myanmar-Garment-Survey-2021-Report-inc-Copy-Right.pdf (myanmargarments.org)
  6. Number of Garment / Textile Factories: Myanmar Garment Manufacturer Association (MGMA)
    MGMA_Newsletter_December-2022_ENG.pdf (myanmargarments.org)
  7. Garment / Textile Industry Exports: Ministry of Commerce CMP garment exports bag over $3.7 bln in eight months (myanmar.gov.mm)
  8. Garment / Textile Industry Size: Myanmar Exports By Category (tradingeconomics.com)
  9. Key Garment / Textile Export Market 

    Myanmar Textiles and Clothing Exports by country & region 2020 | WITS Data (worldbank.org)
    *Textiles and Clothing Exports in 2020 

How a community platform in Myanmar can empower women garment workers

How a community platform in Myanmar can empower women garment workers

Women's Cafés are the place from where factory workers return home with more confidence than yesterday. You want to know why? Click "read more" and you will find out. 

News on Myanmar


ESG investing giants under scrutiny for fueling rights abuses in Myanmar

MSCI, FTSE Russell and S&P Dow Jones Indices are giants of the “responsible investing” industry, but according to complaints filed with the US, UK and Dutch governments, the firms are violating OECD guidelines for responsible business conduct by helping direct investments labeled “ESG” to dozens of companies linked to Myanmar’s military.

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Over 250 entrepreneurs have been suspended from MGMA

Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association MGMA announced that more than 250 garment manufacturers who failed to pay their membership fees have been suspended from their membership.

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Forcing for overtime become more common than before due to lack of surprise checks

According to labor activists, workers in most factories are being forced to work overtime because the Department of Workshop and Labor Law Inspection has failed to conduct regular inspections of factories.

Read More

Resources on Myanmar

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