Heat cuts up to 10% productivity in India's garment factories
Business
India's garment factories are struggling with extreme heat, and it's taking a real toll on workers, mostly women, who are losing up to 10% of their productivity during the hottest months.
With stuffy, machine-packed spaces making things worse, 87% of garment workers reported heat-related illnesses in the past 12 months.
Experts urge brands, manufacturers to collaborate
Some companies, like Epic Group in Odisha, are fighting back with climate-smart upgrades: better insulation and high-tech cooling systems keep their new factory at around 28°C.
But retrofitting older factories is tough and expensive.
Experts say brands and manufacturers need to team up if they want to protect workers as climate extremes keep disrupting global supply chains.