Heat stress days surge by 42 per cent in garment hubs

NEW YORK – A report from Cornell University’s Global Labor Institute has revealed a 42 per cent increase in high heat stress days across five major garment production hubs over the past two decades. The findings, tracking data from 2005 to 2024, show accelerating heatwaves and flooding that significantly impact workers and production processes.

“Extreme heat and flooding are health hazards for tens of millions of garment workers and material risks to the fashion industry,” said Jason Judd, executive director of the Global Labor Institute.