Air shipping isn't just bad for the
environment.
Abdullah Hil Rakib, Senior Vice President of the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said air shipping "creates a lot of additional cost" for factory owners who often have to foot the bill.
And this fast shipping puts even more pressure on garment workers in Bangladesh to produce clothes to extremely tight deadlines.
Context identified one Bangladesh-based supplier Nipa Group that produces clothes for several brands, including Inditex’s Lefties and Bershka. These two brands accounted for nearly 80% of the supplier’s air-shipping so far in 2024.
"They make us work overtime, normally on a daily basis, but they do not give us wages for overtime," said a worker at the Nipa Group factory, on condition of anonymity.
She spoke to Context after an 11-hour shift as a seamstress. She was only paid for eight. The Nipa Group denied that workers had any wage issues.
With a significant, growing impact on the global climate, and a major toll taken on local workers, what will it take for the fashion industry to slow down?
See you next week,
Jack