Wal-Mart Stores Inc - apparel and textile industry company news 
US: Wal-Mart shares fall after profits miss forecasts
16 May 2013
Shares in Wal-Mart were down today (16 May) after the world's largest retailer posted quarterly earnings that missed Wall Street forecasts - and booked lower US sales.
BANGLADESH: Wal-Mart won't sign Accord, ramps up inspections
15 May 2013
Wal-Mart has confirmed plans to conduct in-depth safety inspections at its supplier factories in Bangladesh over the next six months after revealing it would not join the Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Accord.
BANGLADESH: More retailers race to join safety accord
15 May 2013
More retailers and brands have joined the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh ahead of the midnight deadline (15 May).
BANGLADESH: Benetton and N Brown commit to safety accord
14 May 2013
Two more European retailers have this-afternoon signed up to the new Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, which aims to improve safety conditions in supplier factories.
BANGLADESH: NGOs increase pressure on retailers to sign fire safety agreement
10 May 2013
NGOs are increasing pressure on international clothing brands and retailers that source from Bangladesh to sign the Accord on Fire and Building Safety following another fatal incident in a garment factory.
US: 'Chemicals of concern' found in children's products
8 May 2013
Reports filed by companies including Gap Inc, Gymboree Corp, Nike Inc, H&M and Wal-Mart Stores to comply with a Washington State law are said to have shown "chemicals of high concern" in products made or marketed for children, research has discovered.
US: Senate passes bill to charge state taxes on online sales
8 May 2013
The US Senate has passed legislation that will subject online shopping to state sales taxes.
Comment: The crooks and conmen among us
7 May 2013
Today, many if not most importers and retailers are making an honest effort to make Bangladesh a better place to work for customers, suppliers and workers alike. But recent events such as the collapse the Rana Plaza factory building have brought out some important truths, believes David Birnbaum.
Viewpoint: Making clothes should never mean life or death
2 May 2013
Is Bangladesh is a place where workers are safe to make clothes sold by Western retailers and brands - and is the lure of low costs a risk worth taking? Last week's collapse of the eight-storey Rana Plaza factory complex has brought these concerns to the fore all over again.
UPDATE: Retailers respond to Bangladesh factory claims
29 April 2013
British fashion retailer Primark and Canadian brand Joe Fresh have confirmed that their garments were being manufactured in one of the Bangladesh factories that collapsed on Wednesday (24 April), killing nearly 300 people.
UPDATE: Renewed calls for better Bangladesh worker safety
29 April 2013
Labour rights groups and unions have stepped up their calls for urgent action to improve worker health and safety in Bangladesh's ready-made garment industry, as the death toll from the collapsed Rana Plaza factory building soars to 381.
BANGLADESH: Garment factory building collapses killing 86
24 April 2013
An eight-storey commercial building that housed five garment factories collapsed near the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka today (24 April), killing more than 86 people - most of them apparel workers - and leaving several hundred others injured.
US: Worker rights group to protest at Gap HQ
22 April 2013
A demonstration is set to take place at Gap's headquarters in San Francisco on Thursday (25 April) to protest against garment worker conditions in Bangladesh.
Threat of backlash hangs over Bangladesh future
18 April 2013
Bangladesh could capitalise on its low labour costs to become “the next China” if it can break through infrastructure, energy and land bottlenecks, according to a World Bank report - which also warns of a possible backlash from recent compliance and safety issues in the ready-made garments (RMG) sector.
BANGLADESH: European retailers agree Tazreen fire compensation
16 April 2013
European retailers C&A, Kik and El Corte Ingles will contribute to a compensation plan for the victims of the Tazreen Fashions fire in Bangladesh in November last year.
just-style's most read stories this week...
12 April 2013
The most read stories on just-style this week include a report on efforts by retailers, brands and suppliers to solve sustainability issues, Ron Johnson stepping down as CEO of JC Penney, and the apparel industry being urged to collaborate when managing chemicals in the supply chain.
BANGLADESH: Wal-Mart to fund academy to improve fire safety
10 April 2013
Wal-Mart is set to donate US$1.6m to set up a training academy to help improve fire safety in Bangladesh.
Apparel software trends: Supply chain challenges
2 April 2013
Social and environmental compliance are the main issues facing today's apparel supply chains, according to industry experts consulted by just-style. The continued shift towards faster and faster fashion cycles, along with pressure on retailers to adapt to an omni-channel experience, are also throwing up challenges when it comes to flexibility in global sourcing.
UK: George to launch graduate fashion line
26 March 2013
George at Asda is set to launch a new label called G21 Talent, a line of limited edition, catwalk inspired collections created by designers from Graduate Fashion Week.
HONG KONG: Restructuring costs weigh on Li & Fung FY profit
21 March 2013
Global sourcing giant Li & Fung Ltd has seen its full-year profit slump despite a slight rise in turnover, blaming ongoing restructuring costs and weakness in its distribution business.
CAMBODIA: Suppliers to pay workers at shuttered factory
4 March 2013
Workers at a shuttered apparel factory in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh are set to receive some US$200,000 worth of unpaid wages and benefits after the factory closed unexpectedly.
In the money: Wal-Mart apparel turnaround efforts gain traction
22 February 2013
Wal-Mart has revealed that its efforts to turn around its apparel business is starting to gain traction after reporting its first full-year of positive comparable apparel sales in the US in seven years.
George at Asda remains committed to Bangladesh
21 February 2013
The UK-based George at Asda clothing brand remains committed to sourcing in Bangladesh, even though at least 112 workers were killed in a factory fire last year while illegally subcontracted to produce clothing for parent company Wal-Mart.
UK: Asda plans international expansion for George
21 February 2013
Wal-Mart's UK-based George clothing brand is set to have a presence in 24 countries by the end of September, driven primarily through online expansion.
US: Wal-Mart posts fourth quarter profit growth
21 February 2013
Wal-Mart has recorded an increase in fourth-quarter profit as sales grew and the company benefited from a lower than expected tax rate.
Comment: Three cheers for a living wage!
12 February 2013
The concept of paying a living wage for garment workers in developing countries is not new – yet its implementation continues to present challenges across the apparel supply chain, as Michael Lavergne explains.
Price tops in-store experience in shopping decisions
6 February 2013
Many bricks-and-mortar clothing retailers have been working to improve the in-store environment as a means of differentiating themselves from pure-play online retailers. But new research from Oracle Retail now suggests that price, choice and location are more important.
Outlook 2013: Other issues to watch
4 February 2013
Generally, 2013 is seen as being another challenging year for the apparel industry – although there is cautious optimism for an improved business environment. Issues such as compliance, sustainability and product safety are likely to come to the fore, and keep a close eye on trade talks to expand duty-free opportunities such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Outlook 2013: Apparel industry opportunities
4 February 2013
Opportunities the apparel industry should focus on this year include developing strategic relationships to improve flexibility across the supply chain; a focus on adding value through design, innovation and branding to protect margins; and the use of technology to integrate the multichannel experience.
Outlook 2013: Lessons that should have been learnt
4 February 2013
What should apparel firms have learnt from the upheaval of the past couple of years - and what should they be doing now if they want to remain competitive into the future? They need to remain nimble enough to respond to changing buying patterns, develop strong partnerships across the supply chain, and focus on a sourcing portfolio that balances costs and risks.
