Asif Dowla, professor of economics and Landers Endowed Chair in the Liberal Arts at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, was recently featured as an expert source in a Sourcing Journal article examining the intense economic pressures faced by garment producers in Bangladesh. The article, titled "How Bangladesh's Garment Suppliers Are Being 'Squeezed Dry,'" highlights a new report by Swiss watchdog group Public Eye and the Clean Clothes Campaign. The report reveals that despite rising global inflation and production costs, international fashion brands are paying significantly less in real terms for apparel than they did 25 years ago. Dowla provided critical economic insight into how consumer demand and the explosive rise of ultra-fast fashion platforms, such as Shein and Temu, directly accelerate imbalances across the global supply chain. "The pressure to lower prices translates into increased workload for workers and a shift to automation, which is already driving a decline in female workers in Bangladesh," Dowla noted. "In addition to buyers, consumers are the biggest winners from 'everyday low prices.' Consumers cannot continue to demand better working conditions and sustainable production while also enjoying low prices for the clothes on their backs." Dowla is working on a book on the Bangladesh garment industry.
