Migrant Workers in Malaysia’s Garment Sector Face Severe Exploitation
On Sept. 23, the Malaysian immigration department arrested a Bangladeshi garment factory owner, along with 45 illegal foreign workers, on suspicion of using fake temporary work permits obtained by hacking government systems. The workers, aged between 17 and 67, consisted of Bangladesh, Indonesian and Myanmar nationals, according to immigration director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud.
Fashion, Xinjiang and the Perils of Supply Chain Transparency
Brandie Sasser, the vice-president of strategic engagement at Transparentem, a US non-profit that investigates environmental and human rights violations in… fashion supply chains, says this is already happening. While she has seen a slew of brands move away from Xinjiang cotton since the Trump ban, “companies have been much more nervous about what they put […]
Du sang et des larmes sur les gants malaisiens
En 2019, après des mois d’enquête et de pressions, l’ONG américaine Transparentem a obtenu 1,6 million d’euros de réparations pour… 2500 immigrés employés dans l’habillement malaisien qui avaient payé pour être recrutés.
Tannery Workers’ Pandemic Plight Highlights Need for Reform
Bangladesh’s tannery workers are in financial crisis due to Covid-19, but exploitative working conditions are the root of the problem… Listening to Bangladesh’s tannery workers talk about their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic is distressing and alarming. “We have cried many nights in hunger,” said one. Another dispirited worker lamented, “My life is full of […]
Pay-to-play, pay-to-stay: the high cost of Indonesian apparel jobs
When Susi, a 25-year-old sewing operator in Indonesia, found work at a garment manufacturer in West Java, she paid one… month’s wages upfront to a middleman to secure her job. She quit the strenuous job within one week, but received no refund. To secure her next position, Susi repeatedly paid around a month’s wages for […]
Sourcing from Myanmar Requires Extraordinary Due Diligence. Here’s Why
As fashion brands and retailers begin to reset and reshape their supply chains as they emerge from the global coronavirus… pandemic, a new multi-year investigation has identified some of the risks at stake when sourcing from garment factories in Myanmar. Highlighted exclusively here on just-style, child labour and audit deception are among the ongoing challenges.
A Close Look at a Fashion Supply Chain Is Not Pretty
TAL Apparel is one of the most powerful companies in the global fashion supply chain that many consumers have never… heard of. Its factories make huge numbers of shirts — particularly for men — for brands including Brooks Brothers, Bonobos and LL Bean. In fact, TAL Apparel claims it makes one in six dress shirts […]
The Dark Secrets Lurking Inside Your Outdoor Gear
Reports of unfair labor practices in the apparel industry seem to come with depressing regularity, and most recently, they’ve involved… some prominent outdoor gear brands. In late June, a nonprofit called Transparentem released a report alleging abuse, including physical force and forced labor, at Malaysian factories that supply brands like Nike and Under Armour. Then, […]
H&M’s Different Kind of Clickbait
The H&M group sells an estimated three billion articles of clothing per year. Its revenue makes it among the top…
Human Rights Due Diligence in Malaysia’s Manufacturing Sector
An investigation by non–profit Transparentem found serious labour abuses at five apparel factories in Malaysia, where hundreds of migrant workers… had paid illegal recruitment fees, ranging from RM 3,109 up to RM 18,182 (GBP 596 –3,489), sometimes exceeding one year’s salary. Four of the factories investigated also commonly retained workers’ passports and other documents, practices […]