H&M puts a freeze on Myanmar orders

After the deadly use of force against protesters in Myanmar, Swedish retailer H&M said that it will put a pause on placing orders in the country. To date, police and military and police have killed more than 50 people to quell demonstrations and strikes against a February 1 military coup. The news was reported by Reuters.

H&M has 45 direct suppliers in Myanmar and has sourced in the country for seven years. H&M said their reason for pausing orders was due to practical difficulties and an unpredictable situation, making operating in the country difficult. Shops, factories, and banks have been closed in the main city of Yangon due to the protests.

H&M has been in talks with UN agencies, diplomatic representatives, trade unions, and multinational companies about how to handle the situation. Myanmar in total has 600 major factories that provide jobs to around 450,000 people, making apparel manufacturing a major part of the country’s economy.

Recently, the latest protest actions have actually involved fashion. Protesters have placed women’s clothes across streets to thwart the crackdown, as reported by The Washington Post. Women have strung up their traditional sarongs, known as htameins, along with their underwear and bras on the clotheslines around protest zones. Soldiers and police will not walk under them because of the superstition that this will sap them of their masculinity and bring bad luck, helping to curtail police and soldier intervention in garment barred off areas.

Image: H&M