A large portion of fashion retailers mass produce apparel, shoes, and accessories in countries like India, Bangladesh, Thailand and Vietnam. When the pandemic hit, fast fashion retailers were the first to pull out of contracts with factories, leaving garment workers with piles and piles of finished merchandise and orders, without pay. Retailers refused to pay the factories for the work they already did and the orders they already filed. The result left these affected countries — whose main industry is fashion imports — out of work, starving, sick, and homeless.

Brands like URBN Group, TJX, and Walmart have refused to pay for their orders placed before the pandemic — robing garment workers and factories owners of their worth. The fashion industry is looking to hold them accountable by providing safe working conditions and living wages to garment workers abroad and locally.

The PayUp Fashion Fund includes the Direct Relief for Garment Workers fund, where 100% percent of proceeds go towards emergency food and medical relief in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Los Angeles. Last year, PayUp Fashion raised $40,000 for garment workers and aims to do the same this year with our help. They are asking for donations, and if you’re not financially fit to do so, they are asking you to sign their petition. With each signature, over 250 executives from 40 brands (including Under Armour, Target, Nike, Zara, Amazon and more) will receive an email stating their brand has been petitioned.

To sign the petition, click here.

Photo via PayUp Fashion