While around a third of the Cambodian population lives on less than €1.50 per day, Cambodia has recorded yearly economic growth of more than seven percent over five years. Around 700,000 inhabitants, 80 percent of whom are women, are employed in the fashion sector’s 600 factories. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, five new factories were opening per month, mostly financed by investors from East Asia.
-
1995
The textiles boom reaches Cambodia. Textile exports to the EU and USA will grow in value from US$27 million in 1995 to $1.3 billion in 2002. -
2004
Cambodia becomes a member of the World Trade Organization. This requires the country to observe the rules of free trade and puts it in direct competition with other centres of production in Asia such as Bangladesh, Vietnam, and China. -
2012
The average worker in the garment industry works for 53 hours per week, even though article 137 of the Cambodian Labour Act stipulates that workers are not allowed to work for more than eight hours a day or 48 hours a week. 2015
Cambodia’s gross domestic product tops US$18 billion. The turnover of Inditex, the largest fashion corporation in the world, reaches US$25.3 billion.2020
Every sixth factory in the country has to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A furlough payment equivalent to US$70 per month is agreed upon, but only 40 percent of workers receive the assistance payments.
How much clothing from Cambodia reaches Germany?
Top 10 German import trade partners for textiles and clothing products (international, excluding Europe)
|
Country |
Value in €1,000 |
|---|---|
|
China |
10.385.733 |
|
Bangladesch |
5.568.311 |
|
Indien |
2.052.217 |
|
Pakistan |
1.440.119 |
|
Vietnam |
1.305.902 |
|
Kambodscha |
1.287.709 |
|
Myanmar |
719.508 |
|
Indonesien |
636.521 |
|
Tunesien |
435.920 |
|
Marokko |
366.164 |
Source: Gesamtverband der deutschen Textil- und Modeindustrie e. V. (2019): Mit jeder Faser intelligent.
2019: Die deutsche Textil- und Modeindustrie in Zahlen, p. 20
(last accessed 26.04.2021)