Vietnam’s lockdown ensnares world’s clothing manufacturers

Vietnam’s lockdown ensnares world’s clothing manufacturers

HANOI: From shoes and sweaters to car parts and coffee, Vietnam’s strict and lengthy coronavirus lockdown has sparked product shortages among worldwide brands such as Nike and Gap which have grown increasingly dependent on the Southeast Asian nation’s manufacturers. The snarl-ups at Vietnam’s factories are part of a broader crisis around the planet that is sending inflation surging and raising concerns about the pace of recovery in the global economy. At a fabric mill east of Hanoi, Claudia Anselmi-the Italian director of Hung Yen Knitting & Dyeing, a key cog in the supply chain of several European and US clothing giants — worries daily if the factory can keep the lights on.

Its output plunged by 50 percent when Vietnam’s latest devastating virus wave first struck in spring, and it faces perpetual problems securing the yarn it needs for its synthetic material. “At first we were lacking people (to work) because everyone was stuck at home,” said Anselmi, whose company’s fabric is later used in swimwear and sportswear for customers including Nike, Adidas and Gap. Now, “travel restrictions have jeopardized all logistics in and out… this has created long, long delays,” she told AFP. “We only survive if we have the