Garment companies in Leicester are being forced out of business because of pressure from fast-fashion brands, according to international campaign group Labour Behind the Label.
The non-profit group has reported that the number of factories in the clothing industry in Leicester is estimated to have halved over the past three years from 1,000 in 2020, partly blamed on retailers asking for lower prices.
According to Labour Behind the Label, factories said their profits were being squeezed by demands for large discounts, last-minute cancellations and unexpected changes to orders.
Citing anonymous reports from garment businesses in Leicester, it claimed that suppliers were often treated with “disdain and disrespect”.
Some of the pressures facing Leicester’s garment suppliers from retailers were reported today in an investigation published in The Guardian.
Founded in 2001 and based in Bristol, Labour Behind the Label is a workers’ cooperative that focuses on campaigning for labour rights in the global garment industry.
