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Which working conditions have been reported in garment factories in parts of the Global South?
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fashion industry
A model walking the runway wearing an outfit from Off-White women's spring and summer 2020 collection during Paris Fashion Week, 2019.
In the fashion industry, garment production is frequently outsourced to the Global South, where manufacturers often seek low-wage environments to maintain cost-efficiency. This business model has been associated with significant labor exploitation and hazardous working conditions.12
Reported conditions in these factories include:
- Excessive Hours: Workers are often required to work up to 16 hours every day.12
- Unfair Compensation: Laborers frequently earn very low wages and may face retaliation if they refuse to work overtime.12
- Unsafe Environments: Facilities are often characterized by dangerous conditions, such as dangerously high temperatures, lack of proper ventilation (windowless spaces), and exposure to harmful chemicals.1
- Structural Hazards: The 2013 Rana Plaza tragedy in Bangladesh, where a building collapse killed approximately 1,100 people, highlighted the severe risks posed by ignored safety warnings and poor infrastructure.12
- Management Practices: Workers have reported instances of dealing with violent managers.1
Because supply chains are highly complex, many retailers remain unaware of the specific conditions under which their products are manufactured. While some regions have seen improvements in safety standards following major industrial disasters, sweatshops remain a persistent issue in several major garment-producing nations.12