NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

By Sharon Edelson

Re/make’s 2022 Fashion Accountability Report finds a few promising trends, but said much more work needs to be done to bring sustainability and social justice to manufacturing hubs such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, among other places.

Garment workers have faced physical harm due to outdated building codes and other violations, and wage theft is still rampant. The pressure and economic pain is forced by downward prices to the bottom of the supply chain, where workers carry the brunt of the load.

Ayesha Barenblat, CEO and founder of Re/make, a global advocacy group fighting for fair pay and climate justice in the apparel industry, said the organization doesn’t accept money from the fashion industry, making it more objective, than other indexes that monitor garment workers’ plight.

Photo courtesy of UN Women/Fahad Abdullah Kaizer.