Enhancing workplace standards in cotton garment manufacturing: analyzing fairtrade and global organic textile standards in India

Abstract

Historically, the cotton garment trade has been characterized by internationally exploitative relationships. Within this context, voluntary certifications have sought to improve the working lives of cotton factory garment workers around the world. This study focuses on the case of India, which is a major global producer of cotton garments with substantial problems in ensuring sound workplace standards for workers. It examines the development and role of voluntary certification as transnational multistakeholder governance frameworks that seek to advance sustainable development in international trade. This research uses qualitative methodology to examine the role of voluntary standards from the perspective of managers, analyzing the complexities in the adoption and implementation of two well-known voluntary standards, namely, Fairtrade International Textile Standard and Global Organic Textile Standard within garment factories in India. It highlights the evolutionary growth of these standards in India, their potential and contribution to sustainable production and manufacturing, and the role of responsible leadership in global trade. By highlighting how voluntary certifications are operationalized in real world settings, this study contributes to the growing literature on the purpose and impact of voluntary standards in garment factories in India.