CNTAC issued an initiative with 8 industrial organizations of STAR Network from other 5 countries, calling for responsible purchase during the pandemic.
Since January 2020, the unexpected COVID-19 began to sweep across the world, and it threatened the global industrial chain of the textile industry as well. Members of the STAR Network- 9 industrial organizations of the textile and apparel industry from 6 manufacturing and exporting countries issued a joint initiative, pointing out the especial importance of responsible company behaviors in this crisis. Especially the responsible purchase behaviors of brands, retailers and trading companies composing the global textile and apparel supply chain, would have significant impact on the basic rights of millions of workers at the other end of the supply chain and the livelihoods of their families; the initiative further pointed out that, it was the critical time for the global industrial members to observe and fulfill their promises related to labor rights, social responsibilities and sustainable supply chain. This joint action bolstered the production of the textile and apparel industry in Asia and even the world, kept the supply chain healthy, and guaranteed the smooth operation of the international trade of the industry against the pandemic.
STAR Established in 2016, the STAR network was sponsored jointly by 9 associations of the textile and apparel industry from 6 countries- Bangladesh, China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Pakistan and Vietnam. As the first industry-sponsored network in Asia that is designed to support the sustainable development of regional textile and apparel industry and the cooperation between manufacturers on the supply chain, the STAR platform encourages cooperation between major manufacturers of textile and apparels, practitioners from exporting countries, governmental organizations and employee organizations.
 The members of STAR by the end of 2020 included but are not limited to: Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC), Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC), Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA), Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PHMA), Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA), Towel Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (TMA) and Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS). These said organizations represent at least 50% of the global export volume of textile and apparel products.