Skip to main content
Cornell University mobile logo
Dignity factory workers producing shirts for overseas clients, in Accra, Ghana

Hot Air: How will fashion adapt to accelerating climate change?

Impacts of Climate Change on Global Apparel Production

How have weather conditions already changed in major apparel production centers? In this follow-up to our Higher Ground? reports, we looked at the past twenty years of weather data in our 23 focus cities to try and find that out, as well as ask how workers, brands and retailers, manufacturers and their governments should react and adapt to our warming future in a world of corporate due diligence. Read our findings here.

A flooded area near to Phnom Penh, Cambodia
/global-labor-institute/research-0/gli-hot-air

Measuring Supply Chain Due Diligence

Labor Outcomes Metrics

Read about the Global Labor Institute's new quantitative metrics that measure labor outcomes—actual impacts for workers.

Workers in Bangladesh
Read more about Measuring Supply Chain Due Diligence

Latest News and Events

Schroders and GLI publish stewardship framework on climate risk resilience and adaptation: 'Engaging with companies on Just Resilience: An Investor Toolkit'

From Schroders (and GLI) comes the first ever climate adaptation guidance for investor engagement with firms: "Schroders has begun applying the toolkit for its engagement with apparel brands and plans to expand its application to other exposed sectors, including food and construction."
A person stands holding a red umbrella in floodwaters. In white text, it says "Engaging with companies on Just Resilience: An Investor Toolkit | April 2025."
Schroders and GLI publish stewardship framework on climate risk resilience and adaptation: 'Engaging with companies on Just Resilience: An Investor Toolkit'

Q&A: Tariff Impacts on Apparel Workers and Fashion Industry

Jason Judd, executive director of ILR’s Global Labor Institute, addressed questions about the potential impacts of U.S. tariffs on workers in apparel-producing countries and on the fashion industry.
Photograph of garment workers in Bangladesh at sewing machines.
Q&A: Tariff Impacts on Apparel Workers and Fashion Industry

'Stopping Forced Labor' eCornell Webinar: Jason Judd, Samira Rafaela and Kelly Fay Rodríguez on Global Forced Labor Regulations

Join Executive Director Jason Judd, GLI Visiting Fellow Samira Rafaela and Former Special Representative for International Labor Affairs Kelly Fay Rodríguez on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 1pm EDT for a keynote presentation on forced labor regulations around the world.
Women working in a field
'Stopping Forced Labor' eCornell Webinar: Jason Judd, Samira Rafaela and Kelly Fay Rodríguez on Global Forced Labor Regulations

Samira Rafaela in UK's Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Handbook on How To Legislate Against Modern Slavery and Exploitation in Supply Chains

Visiting Fellow Samira Rafaela writes, “While a coalition of likeminded countries is striving to reform global labour governance, it is impossible to ignore the influence of the current geopolitical agenda. Europe seeks to protect its international labour reputation and aims to reduce dependency on systemic rivals like China.”
Samira Rafaela
Samira Rafaela in UK's Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Handbook on How To Legislate Against Modern Slavery and Exploitation in Supply Chains

Context: 'Q&A: How can fashion workers adapt to climate change?'

Executive Director Jason Judd is in Thomson Reuters’ Context, with a Q&A on how to help apparel workers as climate change accelerates. His three recommendations: set workplace temperature standards, annual wage adjustments and pay workers more money. As he puts it, “Arguably the most important adaptation technology is cash.”
White text, which says "Context. Know better. Do better.", on a royal blue background.
Context: 'Q&A: How can fashion workers adapt to climate change?'

Sourcing Journal: "The EU Omnibus is Here. Where Does It Leave Supply Chain Due Diligence?"

Visiting Fellow Samira Rafaela, quoted in the article: "I hope the European Parliament rejects the omnibus proposal and stands firm in defending the original CSDDD and CSRD. The omnibus proposal has not only weakened the results of democratic negotiations but also undermined the credibility of EU decision-making."
Sourcing Journal Logo
Sourcing Journal: "The EU Omnibus is Here. Where Does It Leave Supply Chain Due Diligence?"

To Eliminate Gender Based Violence and Harassment

Dindigul Agreement

This is GLI’s year two assessment of the processes and outcomes of an innovative agreement regarding freedom of association and the elimination of gender based violence at a South Indian apparel factory that could be a model for other factories around the world.

Busy factory floor with rows of sewing stations
Read the report

Higher Ground? Fashion’s Climate Breakdown

Impacts of climate change on global apparel production

In partnership with Schroders, we report the impacts of climate change on global apparel production. In our first report, we track climate change impacts at the global, national, and factory levels. We map fashion's climate vulnerabilities across production centers, and estimate future economic damages from extreme heat and flooding. Our second report examines company-level climate risk, cost, and financing for adaption and just resilience.

Textile workers in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Read the reports

Change or Groundhog Day? What new research tells us about what works in global labor governance

2024 GLI Conference Highlights

Samira Rafaela
View more information

Stay Connected

Join the Global Labor Institute mailing list.