Archive · 21 Sep 2026
Bangladesh Garment Factories Could Recover Cooling Costs in Four Years
Factories in Bangladesh can become very hot, especially where workers iron and finish clothing.
Researchers measured temperatures at eight factories in Dhaka over six months.
They found that the inside of factories was often hotter than outside.
This heat can make workers sick or less able to work safely.
The researchers said heat stress reduced factory revenue by about 4.1% on average.
They found that changes such as roof insulation, reflective paint and better airflow could pay for themselves within four years.
The report says clothing brands should help factories pay for these improvements.
This matters because climate change is making extreme heat a bigger problem for clothing production.
Cooling investments in Bangladesh garment factories could pay for themselves within four years, according to Cornell researchers.
Measures include reflective paint, roof insulation and improved airflow ventilation.
Heat readings at eight Dhaka factories found indoor temperatures often exceeded outdoor levels, especially in ironing and finishing areas.
Heat stress reduced annual factory revenue by an average of 4.1% at the factories studied.
The report urged global apparel brands to share adaptation costs with suppliers investing in worker cooling.
- Who
- Researchers at Cornell University's Global Labor Institute studied garment factories, while apparel brands and suppliers are affected by the findings.
- What
- A study found that cooling systems and other heat-reduction measures in Bangladesh garment factories can be commercially viable and recover their costs within four years.
- When
- The findings were reported on Sunday; temperature data were collected over six months, and related projections concern risks by 2030.
- Where
- Eight garment factories in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
- Why
- To reduce worker heat stress and address financial risks from climate-related heat in apparel supply chains.
Shared Climate-Adaptation Costs
Supplier Investment Decisions
Who should pay for cooling improvements?
Shared Climate-Adaptation Costs
The Cornell University Global Labor Institute report and the American Apparel and Footwear Association support brands sharing costs when suppliers may not receive enough financial return to fund resilience measures alone.
Supplier Investment Decisions
Factory manufacturers must assess whether cooling investments are commercially justified, although the study says the measures examined could recover their costs within four years.
Business case for cooling
Shared Climate-Adaptation Costs
Researchers say cooling protects workers and can reduce revenue losses caused by heat stress, which averaged 4.1% at the factories studied.
Supplier Investment Decisions
The report indicates that brands and suppliers are still discussing mitigation costs, greenhouse-gas targets and alternative energy sources before committing resources.
- Estimated payback period
- Within four years
- Factories studied
- Eight factories in Dhaka
- Temperature monitoring
- Six months
- Average revenue loss
- 4.1% annually due to heat stress
- Cooling measures
- Reflective paint, roof insulation and airflow ventilation
- Earlier climate-risk estimate
- Heat and flooding could erase $65 billion in apparel export earnings from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Pakistan and Vietnam by 2030
- Industry response
- The American Apparel and Footwear Association released a toolkit on protecting workers from extreme temperatures