Heat Stress Season Hits Dhaka Garment Factories
New research and a podcast examine who should pay to protect garment workers from extreme factory heat.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Manufacturing
Live Poll
Should clothing brands pay for cooling and heat protection in the factories that make their products?
Cornell University's Global Labor Institute released a report based on research inside eight garment factories around Dhaka, finding a heat stress season lasting seven months. Ecotextile Talks also released a podcast episode on who should bear the cost of protecting workers from these conditions.
Why it matters
The findings show workers continuing to work through illness because leaving could mean missed targets, lost overtime and reduced earnings. The research distinguishes manufacturers with ready access to finance from smaller suppliers, raising questions about who can afford protective measures.
Researchers studied eight garment factories around Dhaka, documenting a heat stress season lasting seven months. The source does not provide comparative figures for other regions or prior years, and cost estimates for protective measures were not included in the extraction.
The players
Jason Judd
Jason Judd is executive director of Cornell University's Global Labor Institute, which produced the report on heat stress in Dhaka garment factories.
Philip Berman
Philip Berman is the host of the Ecotextile Talks podcast, which explored the findings of the Global Labor Institute report.
The details
Researchers combined sensor readings with interviews and engineering assessments to measure conditions inside factories and workers' homes. Humidity, machinery heat and limited air movement intensify conditions, particularly around ironing operations, and workers described continuing to work through illness.
Timeline
November 3, 2026: Ecotextile Talks publishes podcast episode on factory heat and worker protection.
Manufacturing Landscape
The findings add to the Global Labor Institute's body of research on working conditions in global garment supply chains. The debate over who pays for protective measures reflects a broader question about how costs are distributed among brands, suppliers and workers in export manufacturing.
For apparel buyers and consumers, the findings highlight that garment prices and sourcing decisions may affect whether factory workers receive basic heat protection. Supplier financing conditions may determine which factories can invest in cooling and ventilation.
The takeaway
Protecting garment workers from extreme heat depends on who is willing and able to fund cooling and ventilation, and smaller suppliers face the greatest barriers. Buyers who weigh cost and sourcing decisions can factor in these working conditions when choosing suppliers.
Further reading
Explore more reporting in our Manufacturing section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Ecotextile News.
Live Poll
Should clothing brands pay for cooling and heat protection in the factories that make their products?
