Pushpalatha was a 45-year-old garment worker, a mother, and a woman whose labor sustained global fashion brands like yours. On October 10, 2025, she became ill at work and pleaded to leave the factory for medical care. Instead of receiving compassion and  protection, she was forced to continue working until the end of her shift. Only then was she  taken to the hospital, where she died a few hours later. This was not an accident. This was a consequence of a workplace system that treats women’s bodies as expendable and prioritizes production targets over human life.

As women trade union leaders representing garment workers across Asia, we recognize this tragedy as part of a broader pattern of gendered exploitation in garment supply chains. Women workers are routinely denied rest, medical care, and dignity. They are silenced through fear, intimidation, and retaliation when they speak out. Pushpalatha’s death exposes the violent cost of this model of production.

Read the full open letter here: English