Heat and Verbal Abuse in Cambodia’s Garment Factories, BBC Investigation Finds

Shirts sold in stores for £90 are manufactured by garment workers in Cambodia, according to an investigation by the BBC. The report details severe factory conditions, including indoor temperatures exceeding 35C, demanding production quotas of up to 700 items daily, and physical safety hazards.

Fantasy & Market Impact

Cambodian Factory Workers Face Extreme Heat and Quotas

Workers operating along the ironing lines inside the Bowker and Trax factories in Cambodia face punishing physical environments while fulfilling high-volume group targets. A photograph captured inside the Bowker facility recorded an indoor temperature of 35.2C alongside a humidity level of 57.6%. “The heat stress is really taking a toll on our health,” an employee stated to the BBC.

Employees at both manufacturing plants described relentless pressure to hit group production quotas ranging between 300 and 700 items per day. The financial disparity of the operation was highlighted directly by workers on the line, who noted the immense value generated versus the minimal compensation received. “Just think about that,” a worker remarked. “If one shirt sells for $120 (£90) in the store, how much are they pulling in from 600 of them? They make a ton of money but give almost nothing to the workers.”

Safety Violations and Workplace Retaliation Allegations

Beyond the thermal stress of the factory floor, workers detailed instances of verbal abuse and physical safety hazards. Employees stated that failing to meet daily output quotas resulted in immediate managerial reprimands. “When we can’t complete the quota they scold and yell at us and tell us to resign,” a third worker at Bowker told the BBC.

Further compounding these grievances, an employee described receiving two separate electric shocks from an exposed wire within the facility. Management reportedly failed to act initially. “I tried to report it multiple times, but they only took action after the second time I got shocked,” the worker explained.

Facility / Entity	Reported Condition / Issue	Official Manufacturer Response
Bowker Factory	35.2C heat, 57.6% humidity, electric shock hazards	Adidas stated heat-management measures exist; denied electrical accidents in records
Trax Factory	Elevated temperatures, strict daily quotas	Trax acknowledged elevated temperatures but insisted output targets are not enforced

Adidas and Trax Deny Allegations of Labor Abuse

In response to the BBC’s findings, Adidas maintained that both factories maintained adequate “heat-management measures” and asserted that its corporate standards “do not permit any form of harassment.” Furthermore, Adidas representatives stated that no electrical-related accidents had been documented within Bowker’s official records.

Meanwhile, Trax acknowledged “periods of elevated temperature” on-site but countered that appropriate cooling systems remain operational. The management at Trax insisted that its operational approach “is not based on enforcing output targets.”

These labor concerns reflect broader, systemic issues embedded within Cambodia’s wider garment manufacturing sector. A 2024 International Labour Organization report revealed that 69% of factories had issues with heat, while 84% had issues with worker protection.