Fourteen-year-old Kalpona Akter sat hunched over a sewing machine in a noisy clothing factory in Bangladesh. She was making a pink tank top—the 83rd one she’d stitched in the last hour. Suddenly, Kalpona heard a man shout, “The top floor is on fire!” People panicked as they rushed to escape the burning building.
Fortunately, everyone—including Kalpona—made it out alive. Since then, several clothing factories in Bangladesh have suffered much more devastating accidents. The worst occurred in 2013, when the Rana Plaza building collapsed, killing more than 1,100 people and injuring another 2,500. It was the worst accident in the history of the garment industry. The tragedy brought to light the terrible working conditions in developing countries—where most clothing sold in the U.S. is made.