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They made America’s clothing. Now they are getting punished for it

Published

6 months ago

2025/07/24

Priyan

Apparel hubs like Cambodia and Sri Lanka are heavily dependent on the US as an export market [BBC]

Already living from hand to mouth, millions of garment workers across Asia fear for their jobs as a deadline to strike a trade deal with the US – or face punishing tariffs – looms closer.

On 9 July, following a 90-day pause on tariffs for countries to negotiate deals, the US president notified several countries in the region of new levies set to begin on 1 August. The new rates, while lower than those proposed in April, have done little to allay anxieties.

Among nations that received letters from Donald Trump were apparel hubs like Cambodia and Sri Lanka, which are heavily dependent on the US as an export market. The letters said that the two nations would face tariffs of 36% and 30% respectively.

Nike, Levi’s and Lululemon are among big-name US brands that have the bulk of their clothing made in these countries.

“Can you imagine what will happen if we lose our jobs? I’m so worried, especially for my kids. They need food,” says Nao Soklin, who works in a garment factory in southeastern Cambodia.

Ms Soklin and her husband Kok Taok make a living sewing bags for 10 hours a day. Together, they earn about $570 a month – barely enough to cover rent and provide for their two young sons and aged parents.

“I want to send a message to President Trump, to tell him to please lift the tariff on Cambodia… We need our jobs to support our families,” she told the BBC.

Cambodia, which has become a popular alternative to Chinese retailers because of its ready supply of low-wage labour, exported more than $3bn worth of apparel to the US last year, according to the Asean Statistics Division. The sector, which employs more than 900,000 people, makes up more than a tenth of the country’s overall exports.

For Sri Lanka, exports to the US helped the garment industry – which directly employs some 350,000 people – earn $1.9bn last year, making it the country’s third-largest foreign exchange earner.

“If 30% is the end number, Sri Lanka is in trouble because our competitors, such as Vietnam, have received lower tariffs,” Yohan Lawrence, secretary general of Sri Lanka’s Joint Apparel Association Forum, told the Reuters news agency.

Sri Lankan authorities are hopeful of negotiating a further reduction to the tariffs but have not disclosed what they would consider as an acceptable rate.

Some of its leaders have noted that the country has received the highest concession – of 14 percentage points – so far as a result of earlier negotiations. “We see this as the beginning of a very good situation,” secretary to the Finance Minister Harshana Suriyapperuma said last week.

Cambodia, which got a 13 percentage point concession, is also seeking further talks. “We are doing everything we can to protect the interests of investors and workers,” said Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, who leads the negotiating team.

“We want the tariff to be zero… But we respect their decision and will continue trying to negotiate a lower rate,” he said.

Getty Images A woman walking past a a Levi's store, where various types of clothing are displayed on racks — *Nike, Levi’s and Lululemon are among the big-name brands that have the bulk of their clothing made in these countries [BBC]*

Trump says the tariffs are needed to reduce the gap between the value of goods the US buys from other countries and those it sells to them.

“Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from Reciprocal,” the US leader wrote in letters to various countries last week, which he also posted on his Truth Social platform.

But analysts disagree.

Trump’s tariffs overlook the benefits that the US enjoys from existing trade agreements, including lower-priced clothing and higher profits for US companies sourcing from countries like Sri Lanka or Cambodia, says Mark Anner, dean at Rutgers’ School of Management and Labor Relations.

For decades, the US, European Union and Canada had in place a quota system that reserved a certain share of their markets for developing countries like Sri Lanka. The system, which was phased out in 2005, helped Sri Lanka’s garment sector flourish despite stiff competition.

“For the US to now impose prohibitive tariffs that effectively shut these countries out of the market goes against the very development path it once prescribed,” Prof Anner said.

*Trump’s tariffs add new pressures to familiar challenges in the industry: poverty and weak labour rights in Cambodia, and an ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka [BBC]*

It is unrealistic to expect small, developing economies to not run a trade deficit with the US, says Sheng Lu, a professor at the University of Delaware’s Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies. “How many Boeing airplanes does Cambodia or Sri Lanka need and can afford to purchase each year?” he asked.

Asst Prof Lu believes the strategic rivalry between the US and China is also a factor in trade talks, given how these garment-exporting countries are integrated into supply chains that rely heavily on Chinese inputs.

They now have to “strike a delicate balance” between maintaining economic ties with China while also meeting new US demands, which may include cutting the use of Chinese inputs in production, he says.

Washington’s tariffs add new pressures to familiar challenges in the industry: poverty and weak labour rights in Cambodia, and an ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka.

Women, who make up seven in 10 of garment workers in the region, are set to bear the brunt of the tariffs. More downward pressure on their already chronically low wages mean their children could go hungry, while potential layoffs would be even more devastating.

Surangi Sandya, who works in a factory in the Sri Lankan town of Nawalapitiya, says she feels an axe hanging over her.

“Companies don’t work at a loss… If orders decrease, if there is a loss, there may be a possibility that the company will shut down,” she says. Ms Sandya started out as a rank-and-file seamstress in 2011, then worked her way up to become the supervisor of a 70-women team.

If push comes to shove, some Cambodian workers say they will consider moving to Thailand to find jobs – even if they must do it illegally.

“Our livelihoods depend on the garment factory. We won’t survive if our boss shuts it down,” An Sopheak tells the BBC from her tiny 16 sq m room in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh.

“We have little education. We can’t find other jobs. We pray every day that President Trump will lift the tariff. Please think about us and our poor country.”

***[BBC]***

Getty Images Garment workers reporting for work at a garment factory in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Many are seen driving into the factory's compound on their motorcycles — *Nike, Levi’s and Lululemon are among the big-name brands that have the bulk of their clothing made in these countries [BBC]*

Trump says the tariffs are needed to reduce the gap between the value of goods the US buys from other countries and those it sells to them.

“Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from Reciprocal,” the US leader wrote in letters to various countries last week, which he also posted on his Truth Social platform.

But analysts disagree.

Trump’s tariffs overlook the benefits that the US enjoys from existing trade agreements, including lower-priced clothing and higher profits for US companies sourcing from countries like Sri Lanka or Cambodia, says Mark Anner, dean at Rutgers’ School of Management and Labor Relations.

For decades, the US, European Union and Canada had in place a quota system that reserved a certain share of their markets for developing countries like Sri Lanka. The system, which was phased out in 2005, helped Sri Lanka’s garment sector flourish despite stiff competition.

“For the US to now impose prohibitive tariffs that effectively shut these countries out of the market goes against the very development path it once prescribed,” Prof Anner said.

*Trump’s tariffs add new pressures to familiar challenges in the industry: poverty and weak labour rights in Cambodia, and an ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka [BBC]*

It is unrealistic to expect small, developing economies to not run a trade deficit with the US, says Sheng Lu, a professor at the University of Delaware’s Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies. “How many Boeing airplanes does Cambodia or Sri Lanka need and can afford to purchase each year?” he asked.

Asst Prof Lu believes the strategic rivalry between the US and China is also a factor in trade talks, given how these garment-exporting countries are integrated into supply chains that rely heavily on Chinese inputs.

They now have to “strike a delicate balance” between maintaining economic ties with China while also meeting new US demands, which may include cutting the use of Chinese inputs in production, he says.

Washington’s tariffs add new pressures to familiar challenges in the industry: poverty and weak labour rights in Cambodia, and an ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka.

Women, who make up seven in 10 of garment workers in the region, are set to bear the brunt of the tariffs. More downward pressure on their already chronically low wages mean their children could go hungry, while potential layoffs would be even more devastating.

Surangi Sandya, who works in a factory in the Sri Lankan town of Nawalapitiya, says she feels an axe hanging over her.

“Companies don’t work at a loss… If orders decrease, if there is a loss, there may be a possibility that the company will shut down,” she says. Ms Sandya started out as a rank-and-file seamstress in 2011, then worked her way up to become the supervisor of a 70-women team.

If push comes to shove, some Cambodian workers say they will consider moving to Thailand to find jobs – even if they must do it illegally.

“Our livelihoods depend on the garment factory. We won’t survive if our boss shuts it down,” An Sopheak tells the BBC from her tiny 16 sq m room in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh.

“We have little education. We can’t find other jobs. We pray every day that President Trump will lift the tariff. Please think about us and our poor country.”

***[BBC]***

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England to bowl first in Pallekelle

Published

5 hours ago

2026/02/1

Priyan

Englang to bowl first in 2nd T29I at Pallekelke.

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Pavan Rathnayake, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka (capt), Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Eshan Malinga, Matheesha Pathirana

England: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (capt), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid

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In order to safeguard the future of the country, a quality human resource must be developed. – Prime Minister

Published

14 hours ago

2026/02/1

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that in order to ensure the economic, social, and cultural security of the country, it is essential to develop a quality human resource, and that education plays a vital role in achieving this goal.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the government is committed to bring about a transformation in the education sector, and that the government will continue to move forward by overcoming obstacles encountered along the way, guided by a clear vision and purpose.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing the EDCS Sisu Nena Pranama scholarship award ceremony held on Saturday (31) at Temple Trees, organized to recognize the children of the members of the Education Co-operative Society (EDCS) who have been selected to state universities for the academic year2023/2024.

Elaborating further, the Prime Minister noted that this program, organized by the Education Service Employees– Co-operative Thrift and Credit Society Ltd, is not merely about providing scholarships, but is an occasion that recognizes and appreciates the dedication of students and their parents who are preparing to shoulder the responsibility of the country’s future.

The Prime Minister also pointed out that it is a remarkable achievement that a society which began in 1930 with just 58 members and a membership fee of one rupee has today grown into the largest cooperative society in South Asia, with approximately 215,000 members.

The Prime Minister further highlighted how rapidly the world is changing, and the increasing necessity of developing human resources in the face of economic and environmental crises. She stressed that the education system must be transformed from the level of school education itself to align with the demands of the modern world, and that students entering universities should become leaders and active participants in this transformation.

Noting that out of nearly 300,000 students who enter primary education each year, only about 40,000 gain admission to universities, the Prime Minister urged students to make use of this opportunity for the development of the country.

Addressing the occasion, Deputy Minister of Labour and General Secretary of Ceylon Teachers Service Union, Mahinda Jayasinghe, stated that due to corruption-free management, it was possible to increase the financial stability of the society from Rs. 1,200 million to Rs. 1,700 million within a short period of approximately nine months.

Under this year’s program, scholarships amount to over Rs. 13.7 million were awarded to 2,292 students who have been selected to state universities.

This scholarship program, which initiated in 1984 with 15 students and an initial fund of Rs. 3,500, has been conducted continuously for 41 years. At present, scholarships of up to a maximum of Rs. 75,000 per student are awarded, demonstrating the collective strength and solidarity of the teaching community.

The event was attended by the Chairman of the Education Development Cooperative Society, Lal Kumara, the Western Province Director of Education, Darshani Iddamalgoda, along with other officials.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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Pathirana: ‘My body just automatically changed the release point’ after injury

Published

14 hours ago

2026/02/1

Priyan

Matheesha Pathirana bowls, his release point still higher than it used to be [Cricinfo]

If there was one positive from Sri Lanka’s defeat to England in the first T20I, it was how well their bowlers kept England’s batters in check on a batter-friendly surface. Particularly Matheesha Pathirana.

Pathirana, the 23-year-old slinger, returned figures of 1 for 18 across his four overs – and it might have been two had Pathum Nissanka not grassed a chance in the deep – but his impact was immense, as evident in ESPNcricinfo’s MVP index, where he was only behind Adil Rashid, whose 3 for 19 ripped through Sri Lanka’s batting.

The target of 134 off 17 overs (later revised to 115 in 15) proved too low to defend, but the margin of defeat – 11-runs via DLS – was not as wide as it might have been given the nature of the pitch.

On a good batting surface, seamers in particular suffered – Sam Curran and Eshan Malinga went at around 12 an over, while Jofra Archer and Jamie Overton both went at over seven. But Pathirana ticked along at an economy rate of 4.5.

He did so bowling his entire repertoire, from quick yorkers – he was hovering in the mid-140s, with his quickest delivery clocking 148kph – to pace-off length deliveries and spicy short ones. Even more impressive was the fact that he bowled two of his overs inside the powerplay. Pathirana is renowned for his death-overs exploits, but here, with a sub-par total to defend, Sri Lanka called on their strike bowler to take the new ball.

“Even though I’ve practiced to bowl in the powerplay, there was no plan as such for me to bowl there today,” Pathirana said after the game. “It just so happened that our score was lower than we wanted, so it was decided that I would bowl in the powerplay.”

Pathirana’s control was impressive. Wides have been an issue in the past – a common trade-off for a slingy action such as his – but on Friday night, there were just three across his spell.”Honestly I didn’t do anything major, just simple, basic things. The main thing was increasing the number of repetitions in practice. If there is any improvement, that’s the reason”

“Over the last year, year-and-a-half, along with my injuries, it was a challenging period,” he said. “I lost my rhythm. I’ve worked very hard to get back to this level. And then more recently Mali aiya [Lasith Malinga] was here in Sri Lanka helping out, as well all the coaches at SLC – not just one – all of them helped me get here.”

The impact of fellow slinger Malinga cannot be understated. Malinga has long been a proponent of target-based training drills, and hours of repetitive practice. And most recently he has been working as Sri Lanka’s fast-bowling coach in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup.

“Honestly I didn’t do anything major, just simple, basic things,” Pathirana said. “The main thing was increasing the number of repetitions in practice. If there is any improvement, that’s the reason. In terms of practice I increased it greatly.”

It’s a sharp turn in fortunes for Pathirana, who had only played two T20Is for Sri Lanka in 2025 – owing to a combination of poor form and injuries – and had been released by Chennai Super Kings [CSK] following IPl 2025. He had since been picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), but that was more of an educated punt than anything based on tangible data.

Among the criticisms levied at Pathirana during this period was that his release point was not as low as it used to be. Stephen Fleming, the CSK coach, in fact pointed out this very fact when talking about the quick bowler’s decline in IPL 2025.

On Friday, Pathirana’s release point was lower than in recent times but still not as low as during his breakout season. He explained that his change in action had largely been involuntary, and down to a fairly serious shoulder injury he had been nursing.

“Yes,” he responded when asked if his release point had changed. “In the recent past, I was playing with a fairly major shoulder injury. So I think my body just automatically changed the release point. Even now I am doing rehab in between matches, and I think that’s why I’m seeing an improvement, and so you can see that the release point is getting to what it used to be.”

A fit and firing Pathirana is crucial for Sri Lanka, and with Dushmantha Chameera waiting in the wings, as well as Eshan Malinga ticking along well – he picked up two wickets on Friday with clever variations – Sri Lanka’s seam contingent at least looks in rude health heading into the World Cup.

[Cricinfo]