‘Modern-day slavery’ revealed in UK garment factories

The Dark Side of the UK Textile Industry

Exploitation in Leicester's Sweatshops

• Inside dilapidated buildings in Leicester, sweatshops operate under clandestine conditions, employing thousands of migrants and immigrants who earn less than half the minimum wage.

• Rights groups label these conditions as modern-day slavery, highlighting that the issue has persisted for years while governments have largely ignored it.

• During the COVID-19 pandemic, many undeclared workers were compelled to work for as little as four pounds an hour despite health risks and lockdown measures.

• The situation contributed to Leicester becoming a coronavirus hotspot, prompting a local lockdown—the first in the UK—bringing national attention to systemic exploitation within this industry.

• Labor rights advocates and politicians are now calling for inquiries into these factories, while fashion brands face declining stock values and are pressured to investigate their supply chains.