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Story Publication logo November 18, 2024

'A Stitch in Production': Cost of Sustainability in Bangladesh Textile Industry

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Young people look outside the box to deal with environmental and industry issues.

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A worker washes fabric at the Aranya company's headquarters and factory—a fair trade clothing brand known for focusing on natural dye and handmade slow fashion. Image by Julia Manipella, Bangladesh, 2023.

Dhaka, Bangladesh, is a metropolis of constant movement, production, and innovation. Its textile industry—the second largest in the world behind China—is rising from the ashes of tragedy and worker unrest to attempt more environmentally conscious production.

Sustainable business efforts bring a costly addition to the pricing of products. In a competitive global market, textile factories can be passed up for another for cents lower on the dollar. But with over 4 million workers sitting in the balance, who are the creators working to save these crafts jobs from leaving the country for cheaper options elsewhere—and what will it cost to maintain them?

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