The fashion industry revolves around glamorous apparel, celebrities and dazzling runway shows. But it also has a dark side framed by human trafficking, low wages and factories that pollute the environment. While approximately 80 per cent of the world’s garment workers are women, the number of women heading the 15 largest mass-market apparel companies on the Fortune 500 list is zero.

In countries like Bangladesh garment-related global supply chains provide critical jobs and capital that help women workers raise their standard of living and provide for their families. However, these women are also vulnerable in global value chains. Low wages, unsafe working conditions and flexible contracts are prevalent. This is exacerbated by entrenched gender discrimination in everyday life.

In 2014, Cambodia's security forces opened fire on garment workers while they were protesting low pay. It is one in a string of tragedies worldwide that have hit garment workers hard. The broken fashion supply chain system makes trillions in revenue for major brands while paying the workers pennies.

Labor intensive industries, like fashion, are more sensitive to the costs of labor. The race between brands to compete for the lowest costs has driven garment worker wages to the floor.

The rising cost of textile manufacturing is human dignity and human life. They are not measured in profit and loss statements, but the losses are devastating on many levels.