It ain't fashion, if it ain't sustainable

Institute of Development Studies

Child Labour / Bangladeshi Leather

24 September 2024

3 minutes

A child laying out leather hides. Hazardous child labour was found among children as young as eight, and their tasks included carrying heavy loads, manually dyeing leather using harmful chemicals, working in extreme heat and operating cutting tools and heavy machinery without safety measures.

5-Year Study Uncovers Rampant Child Labour in Bangladesh's Leather Industry

A first of its kind study has found that Bangladesh’s leather industry employs poverty-stricken children as young as eight, making them work in dangerous and harmful conditions at every stage of leather processing and production.

By

Staff Writer

Young India Fashion Survey 2025

Textile Recycling Expo

ITF Intertex Portugal 2025

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Tariffs and Seconds / SMART View Interview

If unfair trade barriers persist, there's the risk of seeing mountains of usable clothing pile up in the US, while markets abroad fill the gap with cheap, low-quality fast fashion that often results in more waste, not less. Keeping the second-hand clothing trade flowing freely is in everyone’s best interest: economically, socially, and environmentally. This is a moment to build smarter, fairer, and more circular global systems, not to shut them down.

Trade Barriers on Second-Hand Clothing Disrupt a Globally Significant Reverse Supply Chain

Subir Ghosh

24 April 2025

Event Roundup / System Change Report

Beyond the panels and presentations, the 4th Sustainable & Circular Textiles, Apparel & Footwear event stood out for its open, constructive atmosphere. The second-day workshops in particular provided a space for deeper discussion—moving from theory to practice and encouraging real dialogue about what circularity actually takes. One thing was clear: we don’t all agree on the exact path forward, but we share similar goals. And sometimes, hearing an alternative opinion can sharpen your own perspective.

From Ideas to Impact: Circularity in Textiles Needs Scalable Action—Not Just Solutions

Kirsi Roine

14 April 2025