A new University of Sydney-led study reveals how low-cost and scalable strategies can reduce heat stress and protect worker productivity in Bangladesh’s readymade garment (RMG) sector.

In Bangladesh’s RMG factories, indoor temperatures often soar above 35 degrees Celsius and can reach as high as 40 degrees Celsius. Production halls are typically hot, humid and poorly ventilated, with the constant use of heat-generating machinery like irons and steamers making the air thick and stifling. 

An Australian study reveals how low-cost and scalable strategies can reduce heat stress and protect worker productivity in Bangladesh’s RMG sector.
The team tested simple cooling interventions like insulated reflective roofs, electric fans and free access to drinking water.
Without cooling interventions, heat stress reduced work output by around 12-15 per cent.

Workers spend up to 12 hours a day, six days a week, in these conditions which, over time, can take a considerable toll, causing dehydration, heat exhaustion, and a noticeable drop in energy and concentration, putting workers’ health and wellbeing at serious risk.

Most workers are paid by the piece, creating a difficult trade-off: slow down to stay safe in the heat—and earn less—or maintain speed and risk serious illness.

“Garment workers in Bangladesh already endure some of the most precarious and grueling conditions in the world. With rising temperatures, it’s only getting worse,” said Ollie Jay, the study’s senior author and director of the Heat and Health Research Centre at the university in a release.

“Without immediate, scalable and affordable cooling solutions, millions face a serious and growing risk of heat-related illness, exhaustion and long-term harm,” he noted.

To address this, Jay’s team looked at the effects of various cooling alternatives to air conditioning on worker heat strain in a simulated Bangladesh garment factory inside a climate-controlled chamber, replicating the hottest conditions recorded inside a typical factory in Dhaka. 

They tested simple cooling interventions like insulated reflective roofs, electric fans and free access to drinking water, and benchmarked them against air conditioning and no cooling at all.

Published in The Lancet Planetary Health, the study found that without cooling interventions, heat stress reduced work output by around 12-15 per cent. These losses were partly recovered through the team’s sustainable cooling strategies, which prioritised cooling the individual instead of altering the surrounding environment, such as using fans and having access to drinking water

A 2.5-degrees Celsius indoor temperature reduction from an insulated, reflective white roof lowered core body temperature, heart rate and dehydration risk.

Electric fan use combined with access to drinking water delivered similar benefits, reclaiming much of the heat-related productivity loss seen in high-intensity tasks like ironing.

Cooling effects were more pronounced in male participants, highlighting the importance of reconsidering gender-specific tasks and clothing in heat mitigation strategies.

“With Bangladesh’s RMG industry targeting a 30 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, these low-resource options could offer a viable path forward for a sector under increasing pressure from both global demand and a changing climate,” said lead author James Smallcombe, a post-doctoral research fellow at the Centre.  

The full results suggest that improving building design and supporting worker hydration could become key pillars of climate adaptation in global supply chains, protecting both workers and business continuity.

The Wellcome Trust funded the research.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

Calvin Klein Inc. announces the U.S. launch of Re-Calvin, a new take-back program designed to make it easy for customers to responsibly part with their pre-loved items.

Developed in partnership with Trove, the leader in branded resale and customer trade-in, and Debrand, a comprehensive sortation and circular logistics partner, Re-Calvin is a free service from Calvin Klein that gives U.S. customers a simple, accessible way to extend the useful life of clothing, shoes and accessories from any brand through donation, recycling, downcycling or, when necessary, responsible disposal that is converted from waste to energy. Re-Calvin also accepts intimates such as bras, swimwear and underwear – a category often excluded from circularity programs.

Calvin Klein has launched Re-Calvin, a free US take-back programme with Trove and Debrand to promote circularity.
Customers can send clothing, shoes, and accessories from any brand for reuse, recycling, downcycling, or responsible disposal.
Notably, it accepts intimates, often excluded from such schemes, and provides full transparency through post-processing email updates.

“As Calvin Klein continues its sustainability journey, we are proud to introduce a program that makes circularity more accessible for our customers and delivers alternative uses for pre-loved items,” said David Savman, Global Brand President, Calvin Klein. “It was important that we partner with experts with a proven ability to build and scale programs that handle a wide range of products andcategories, making it easier than ever for customers to responsibly extend the life of their items.”

How It Works

Customers in the United States can visit calvinklein.us/re-calvin to print a free shipping label and send in items from any brand. Once received, each package is processed and routed according to Calvin Klein’s diligent, established standards:

• Reuse: Items in good condition are donated or sent to secondhand distribution partners.
• Recycle / Downcycle: Items that cannot be reused, including intimates, are recycled into new fibers whenever possible, or downcycled into materials such as insulation or padding.
• Responsible Disposal: As a final step, if no reuse, recycling or downcycling option is available, items are to be converted from waste to energy or alternative fuel conversion.

Only items suitable for a new owner are directed to reuse. Garments with significant wear, damage, heavy stains and all intimates are directed to end-of-use streams, including recycling, downcycling and responsible disposal. Customers receive an email update after their parcel is processed, detailing how their items were routed, ensuring transparency throughout the process.

Powered by Trove’s Takeback Plug-In

Re-Calvin is powered by Trove’s new Takeback Plug-In, which enables Calvin Klein to seamlessly manage item intake, routing and transparency at scale. The plug-in integrates directly into Calvin Klein’s existing U.S. website, enabling the brand to operate a multi-brand takeback program that includes complex categories such as intimates.

The Takeback Plug-in expands Trove’s suite of circular solutions, which also includes the Resale Plug-in, Trade-in Plug-in and a range of API integration options. Together, these tools give brands the flexibility to build customized circular programs that meet their unique needs.

“Re-Calvin marks the first implementation of Trove’s new Takeback Plug-In,” said Terry Boyle, CEO of Trove. “With this launch, Calvin Klein is showing how technology can make responsible choices simple for every customer, accepting items from any brand and across all categories, including intimates, to help keep more textiles in circulation.”

By accepting items from any brand and across all categories, Re-Calvin reflects Calvin Klein, Trove and Debrand’s shared belief that every item should have as many chances as possible to find a second life.

Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)