Bangladesh Unrest May Affect Global Apparel Companies

The country has been gripped by violence since July, forcing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign on Monday and flee the country after hundreds of people were killed in a crackdown on demonstrations demanding her ouster.

Garment factories in the country have been closed indefinitely. According, to opens new tab of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the readymade garment industry accounts for 83% of the country's total export earnings.

Bangladesh was the third-largest exporter of clothing in the world last year, after China and the European Union, according to data from the World Trade Organization, exporting $38.4 billion worth of clothes in 2023.

The following are some of the main retailers with exposure to Bangladesh:

- Swedish apparel retailer H&M (HMb.ST), opens a new tab that sources garments from about 1,000 factories in Bangladesh, according to a supplier list on the company's website, opens new tab. The company said on Monday that it was "concerned about the developments (in Bangladesh)."

- Fast-fashion player Zara, owned by Spain-based Inditex (ITX.MC), opens a new tab, which has 12 manufacturing clusters where 98% of its production was concentrated in 2022, according to an annual filing, opens new tab. Bangladesh was one of the manufacturing clusters, the filing showed.

The company on Monday declined to comment on the impact of the political unrest on its business.

- Japan-based Fast Retailing (9983.T), opens a new tab, which owns the Uniqlo banner, sources garments from about 29 factories in Bangladesh, and opens a new tab.

- Retailer Canadian Tire (CTCa.TO), opens a new tab has about 50 suppliers in Bangladesh as of June 2023, according to a list on the company's website, opens a new tab.

- French retailer Carrefour (CARR.PA), opened a new tab had 59 textile factories in Bangladesh in 2022, according to a list, opens a new tab on the company's website.

- Among U.S. apparel makers, VF Corp (VFC.N), opens a new tab that has 49 company-owned facilities in Bangladesh, according to the company website., opens new tab Levi Strauss has 33 facilities in Bangladesh according to the company's website, opens new tab.

- U.S. big box retailer Target (TGT.N), opens a new tab has about 80 factories in Bangladesh, according to a public list, opens a new tab from the company.

- Fruit of the Loom, a Berkshire Hathaway unit, has seven suppliers in Bangladesh, and as per the company's website, opens a new tab.

- Kate Spade-owner Tapestry has two tier 1 suppliers in Bangladesh, as per a list available on the company's website, which opens a new tab.