Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Ten years ago this Monday, the Rana Plaza building in Dhaka, Bangladesh collapsed, killing over 1,100 people, mostly garment workers. They made clothing for brands that are household names around the globe. In the wake of the disaster, hundreds of brands signed a binding agreement with trade unions to monitor and address safety violations; a smaller group of largely US brands formed a separate, voluntary initiative. The programmes helped substantially improve safety standards in the factories they covered. But advocates for workers say the industry is still rife with other abuses, including low wages and other forms of exploitation. In those areas, there’s been evidence of backsliding, especially since the pandemic. Thousands of factories in Bangladesh weren’t covered by either safety programme, and there’s little change in other manufacturing countries. In addressing one specific humanitarian crisis, the fashion industry has allowed others to fester.
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