According to a recent analysis by Follow The Money (FTM), a platform for investigative journalism, the company was discovered to be manufacturing in the same factories from which fast fashion labels get their clothing, which could indicate that workers are subjected to the same hazardous working conditions.
The article claims that Patagonia manufactures part of its apparel in the Regal Image plant in Sri Lanka, which also makes clothing for Primark and other fast-fashion retailers. FTM visited the plant and spoke with several workers, including Kevin Fernando, the factory manager, who said he saw no difference between working with fast fashion firms and Patagonia.
Patagonia recently authorised the Sri Lanka plant as a supplier, claiming that it “only works with factories that are ‘like-minded’ and share their ‘philosophy'”. The fashion company collaborates with 61 factories in total, 12 of which are located in low-wage nations, including two in the US, one in Portugal, and two in Portugal. Most goods are produced in Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
According to FTM, textile employees who work in the factories that produce Patagonia’s clothing put in up to 17 hours per day and more than 80 hours per week. That goes much beyond what Patagonia claims to permit in its code of conduct and beyond what is permitted by law.
In response to the article and in addition to two conversations held, Patagonia sent a further statement to FTM, “We are working with our suppliers and labour experts to devise and test strategies that will allow the plant to pay its workers more – from improving the efficiency of production lines and HR systems to real cost.”
