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 ($USD value exported and subsequent percentage)
Country | Percentage of Exports |
---|---|
Japan | 21.25% |
Spain | 10.66% |
Germany | 10.4% |
United Kingdom | 9.1% |
Netherlands | 8.37% |
Government Entities
Government agencies actively involved in the garment/textile industry
Ministry of Industry, Planning and Finance (MoPFI)
Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population (MoLIP)
Worker Organizations
Trade unions, Union federations, and other worker organizations
Confederation of Trade Unions Myanmar (CTUM)
Myanmar Industries Crafts and Services Trade Unions Federation (MICS)
Employer/Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce
Employers and industry related associations, private sectors associations and chambers of commerce
Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA)
Myanmar Textile Manufacturers Association (MTMA)
Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI)
Development Agencies/ International Organizations
National and international development organizations working within the garment/textile industry
ILO Vision Zero Fund
SMART Textile and Garments (SMART TaG)
Aung Myin Hmu
Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES)
Civil Society Organizations/ Non-governmental Organizations
Organizations working within the garment/textile industry
Solidarity Center
Sources of data provided
- Population: Population, total | Data (worldbank.org)
- GDP Per Capita: GDP per capita (constant 2015 US$) | Data (worldbank.org)
- HDI: Country Insights | Human Development Reports (undp.org)
- Garment / Textile Workers: Myanmar Garment Manufacturer Association (MGMA) 20220114-Myanmar-Garment-Survey-2021-Report-inc-Copy-Right.pdf (myanmargarments.org)
- Women Workers in the Garment /Textile Industry: Myanmar Garment Manufacturer Association (MGMA) 20220114-Myanmar-Garment-Survey-2021-Report-inc-Copy-Right.pdf (myanmargarments.org)
- Number of Garment / Textile Factories: Myanmar Garment Manufacturer Association (MGMA)
MGMA_Newsletter_December-2022_ENG.pdf (myanmargarments.org) - Garment / Textile Industry Exports: Ministry of Commerce CMP garment exports bag over $3.7 bln in eight months (myanmar.gov.mm)
- Garment / Textile Industry Size: Myanmar Exports By Category (tradingeconomics.com)
- 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
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.
Read MoreOver 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.
Read MoreForcing 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