CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: Heat is putting Indian garment workers’ lives at risk today. We need to act now.

Nandita Shivakumar is a labor organizer and campaigner whose work has focused on gender justice, sustainability, and migrant rights in global fashion supply chains. She also represents the Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union (TTCU), a 12,000 worker strong, Dalit women-led trade union, working to ensure dignity, safety and decent work for textile workers. In this conversation Nandita describes how she is witnessing first hand the impacts of global warming and specifically increasing heat stress on garment workers. As she describes it, increasing heat and temperatures are having significant impacts on workers' health, particularly health problems for female workers, and is putting their lives at risk now. Michael and Nandita discuss the problem, the lack of accountability, the solutions, and the need to act now. 

“Fashion’s climate crisis is not a future risk for us. Our workers are living through it now - factories hitting 40°C, no ventilation, no water, no rest.” 

“We’re already hearing of fainting, dehydration, heat rashes, and haemorrhoids among workers - but they can’t afford medical care.” 

“The greatest responsibility must fall on those with the most power and profit - and that’s the brands and governments.” 

For more information about this podcast and our guest expert, or to listen to other Climate Action Week 2025 podcast conversations, please visit: https://sustainablefashionacademy.org/stica/climate-action-week-2025/