Primark publishes supplier list

Following the example of a number of other fashion companies, Irish fashion chain Primark has released its list of manufacturers and suppliers: it contains more than 900 factories across 31 countries.

500 Chinese factories

Primark’s list does not show where each item is manufactured, but does give an overall picture. It includes more than 500 Chinese factories, 173 Indian and 78 Turkish factories. The list also gives an overview of the number of employees in each factory and even the male-female split.

Several organizations, focused on improved labour conditions in the textile industry, have long since asked for these lists. Brands like H&M, C&A, Adidas, Esprit and Gap have already revealed their lists and the Irish chain it took longer because it feared the competition could take advantage of (part of) the information.

The Clean Clothes Campaign welcomes Primark’s openness. “Transparency is one of the most important steps to identify and eliminate problems”, Berndt Hintzmann, who works for the organization’s German division, said. He feels Primark should now have a few public goals to improve labour conditions in the textile industry. “If major chains like H&M and Primark join forces, that could have huge results.”