Fashion
Bangladesh aims to make it easier to form trade unions within companies
Published
December 3, 2025
A government decree seeks to lower the number of signatories required to establish a trade union within a Bangladeshi company. The move has unsettled the textile industry, which fears fresh waves of industrial action.
Under the proposal, establishing a trade union in Bangladesh would now require 20 signatories for companies with fewer than 300 employees, 40 for those with 301 to 500, and 100 for firms with 501 to 1,500 workers. For larger companies with 1,501 to 3,000 employees, the threshold would be set at 300, and at 400 for companies with more than 3,000 employees.
The textile sector was quick to respond, arguing that the measure goes well beyond what was agreed during the most recent tripartite negotiations, which brought together representatives of the government, workers and employers. Businesses now hope to temper the scope of the text through intervention by Bangladeshi MPs.
“We want only those who have been actively defending workers’ rights for a long time to join these unions,” Mahmud Hasan, president of BGMEA, the garment manufacturers’ federation, told the local press a few days ago.
“We don’t want the owners of jute companies (a related segment of the textile industry, editor’s note) or landlords, who rent housing to workers, to influence the formation of unions.”
These discussions come amid persistent social tensions. Bangladesh remains scarred by the massive protests of summer 2024, which led to the flight of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The BGMEA, for its part, underwent a form of government oversight following disputed internal elections, while a further increase in minimum wages was decided in December.
Any labour unrest in Bangladesh is closely watched by the West, for which the country has become one of the leading suppliers of clothing. Bangladesh is the third-largest supplier of clothing to the United States ($7.5 billion in 2024) and the second-largest to the European Union (€4.3 billion).
This position has been secured by low wages, while its main competitor, China, raised its minimum wage in the early 2010s. Yet it leaves Bangladesh heavily dependent on its textile sector, which generates 80% of its exports and 20% of its GDP—not to mention four million direct jobs.
This article is an automatic translation.
Click here to read the original article.
Copyright © 2025 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.
Fashion
The new economics of fashion: Trust, longevity and price discipline
Fashion demand in 2026 remains intact but more selective, with consumers spending cautiously and prioritising value, durability and versatility.
Intentional purchasing and promotion sensitivity are reshaping pricing dynamics and margin structures.
Polarised consumer behaviour is pushing brands to rebuild trust, justify full price and align sustainability with longevity.
Source link
Fashion
US brand Calvin Klein unveils Spring 2026 denim with Jung Kook
Directed and shot by Mert Alas, the new chapter sharpens the focus on denim as the ultimate expression of personal style through icon Jung Kook’s distinctive and influential point of view as he lives in the moment.
Calvin Klein, owned by PVH Corp., has unveiled its Spring 2026 denim campaign fronted by BTS icon Jung Kook.
Directed and photographed by Mert Alas, the cinematic film fuses music, movement and city energy, highlighting 90s Straight, Baggy and reworked Trucker silhouettes.
A special appearance by Rosie Perez amplifies the brand’s signature visual storytelling.
The campaign unfolds across a series of immersive worlds, unified and guided by Jung Kook’s style, attitude and way of living. The high-impact film fuses fashion and entertainment, moving to an instantly recognizable soundtrack and brought to life through the artist’s signature choreography and commanding presence. The interplay of music and movement – complete with a cameo from New York City legend Rosie Perez – captures the impact synonymous with Calvin Klein’s iconic visual storytelling.
Calvin Klein jeans are at the center of the wardrobe with hero silhouettes leading the narrative: the effortless attitude of the 90s Straight; the relaxed and nostalgic proportions of the Baggy; and new interpretations of the iconic Trucker jacket — all reimagined with elevated washes and designed for versatility. Casual logo tees and oversized bombers complete the looks, reinforcing denim as both uniform and statement.
“I love Calvin Klein jeans because they’re designed to be lived in,” said Jung Kook. “The looks I wore for this campaign nod to ‘90s style while feeling completely modern. It was exciting to bring together my love of music, dance and fashion against the energy of the city.”
Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)
Fashion
China targets 4.5 to 5% GDP growth for 2026
Premier Li Qiang, who delivered the report at the opening of the fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress in Beijing, said the growth target is “well aligned with the country’s long-range objectives through the year 2035 and is broadly in line with the long-term growth potential of China’s economy, with favorable conditions in place for achieving this target.”
China has set a GDP growth target of 4.5–5 per cent for 2026, alongside goals to stabilise employment, manage inflation, maintain grain output and cut emissions.
The plan also preserves flexibility for structural reforms under the 15th Five-Year Plan, aiming to balance steady economic expansion with long-term, high-quality and sustainable development.
Main development targets for 2026 also include a surveyed urban unemployment rate of around 5.5 per cent, creation of over 12 million new urban jobs, a rise in the consumer price index of around 2 per cent, personal income growth in step with economic growth, a basic equilibrium in the balance of payments, grain output of around 700 million tonnes, and a drop of around 3.8 per cent in carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP.
Qiang said the targets took into account the need to leave room for structural adjustments, risk prevention and reform in the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–30) period, to lay a solid foundation for improved performance in the coming years. Government at local level should, taking into account their own conditions, make solid efforts to deliver positive outcomes, he added.
Analysts said the 2026 target reflects a pragmatic approach in recognising structural and cyclical challenges facing the world’s second-largest economy, while pursuing reasonable growth in line with high-quality development.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (JP)
-
Business1 week agoAttock Cement’s acquisition approved | The Express Tribune
-
Politics1 week agoWhat are Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities?
-
Business7 days agoIndia Us Trade Deal: Fresh look at India-US trade deal? May be ‘rebalanced’ if circumstances change, says Piyush Goyal – The Times of India
-
Politics1 week agoUS arrests ex-Air Force pilot for ‘training’ Chinese military
-
Fashion1 week agoPolicy easing drives Argentina’s garment import surge in 2025
-
Business6 days agoGreggs to reveal trading amid pressure from cost of living and weight loss drugs
-
Sports1 week agoSri Lanka’s Shanaka says constant criticism has affected players’ mental health
-
Sports6 days agoLPGA legend shares her feelings about US women’s Olympic wins: ‘Gets me really emotional’
