EPISODE · Apr 24, 2025 · 41 MIN
Not So Lucky Jeans: Unauthorized Subcontracting & Wage Theft in Fashion Supply Chains
from Art of Citizenry · host Art of Citizenry
April 24th marks the anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh—a tragedy that killed over 1,100 garment workers and injured thousands more. It exposed the human cost of unsustainable fashion cycles and sparked global conversations about corporate accountability, worker safety, and supply chain transparency. Over a decade later, workers across global supply chains still continue to fight for basic rights.In this episode, Manpreet Kaur Kalra speaks with Anna Canning, Worker Rights Senior Program Director at Partners for Dignity and Rights. Anna recently published an article exposing Lucky Brand’s role in severance theft at Industrial Hana, a now-shuttered Guatemalan garment factory. The factory supplied apparel to companies including Lucky Brand, Puma, and American Eagle, yet only two of those brands have contributed to the $1.5 million in severance owed to workers. Lucky Brand continues to stall.From unauthorized subcontracting to complex corporate structures, we take listeners behind the seams of global apparel production while unpacking the importance of legally binding agreements to protect garment workers in supply chains. We examine how systemic wage theft and labor abuses become “no one’s responsibility,” and what real accountability—rooted in worker-led models—could look like.“The goal is to build a world where corporate impunity is out and worker-driven corporate accountability is the norm.” - Anna Canning, Partners for Dignity and RightsRead the full show notes: https://www.artofcitizenry.com/podcast/not-so-lucky-jeansRead Anna’s article: https://dignityandrights.org/2025/02/not-so-lucky-how-lucky-brand-shein-and-private-equity-fleeced-guatemalan-garment-workers/Support the Podcast: Art of Citizenry is proudly independent. Support us as we critically explore, challenge, and unravel mainstream narratives by empowering listeners with accessible, nuanced perspectives. Support Art of Citizenry’s Independent Journalism and Advocacy Efforts: https://www.artofcitizenry.com/supportSubstack: https://artofcitizenry.substack.com/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/manpreetkalra For more, you can find the full show notes of every episode at https://www.artofcitizenry.com/episodes
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What this episode covers
April 24th marks the anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh—a tragedy that killed over 1,100 garment workers and injured thousands more. It was a devastating wake-up call that exposed the human cost of unsustainable fashion cycles and sparked global conversations about corporate accountability, worker safety, and supply chain transparency. Over a decade later, workers across global supply chains still continue to fight for basic rights. In this episode, Manpreet Kaur Kalra speaks with Anna Canning, of Partners for Dignity and Rights and the author of Not So Lucky, an exposé on the severance theft experienced by Guatemalan garment workers at the now-closed Industrial Hana factory. The factory supplied apparel to brands including Lucky Brand, Puma, and American Eagle, yet only two of those brands have stepped forward to contribute to the $1.5 million still owed to workers. Lucky Brand continues to stall—despite acknowledging the facts of the case. From unauthorized subcontracting and opaque brand ownership to the failures of self-regulated corporate responsibility, this episode takes listeners behind the seams of global apparel production. We examine how systemic wage theft and labor abuses become “no one’s responsibility,” and what real accountability—rooted in worker-led models like Worker-Driven Social Responsibility (WSR)—could look like.
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Not So Lucky Jeans: Unauthorized Subcontracting & Wage Theft in Fashion Supply Chains
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