The fast-fashion industry has created so many mountains of clothing, it's not only become an environmental waste hazard -
it's also hurting workers who then shred these discarded clothes in recycling centers. In Panipat, India, around 300,000 people work in 20,000 different factories that shred this clothing into yarn fibers.
And every day, workers are horrifically injured by this heavy machinery. One environmental activist who has been closely monitoring the situation, Ramesh Chaudhary, says that
every day, at least one person loses a leg, arm, or hand.Sign the petition to demand full accountability, including government action against every corporation and factory involved!For example, in one 8-day period in August 2026, hospitals in Panipat reported six different instances in which textile workers suffered severe injuries resulting in loss of limbs or fingers.
One 19-year-old boy lost both of his arms in a single accident. They became crushed in the machinery that he had to feed discarded clothes into.
Most machines in Panipat factories apparently
do not have the proper safety features to prevent worker injuries and dismemberment. Journalists with the Guardian visited these factories on multiple occasions and never once saw workers wearing safety gear; workers also said they'd never received any safety training.
Spinning machines are powerful and destructive - and if something or someone gets stuck in them, even turning them off won't be a fast enough solution.Once injured, workers have no way of earning a living, leaving them extremely vulnerable. Even worse - factories rarely help pay for any hospital bills, and factory owners are so well-connected, workers' lawsuits are almost never successful.
We have two demands, in order to address this shocking level of disregard for human rights and human suffering. First, the government of India must mandate safety features on these machines and safety equipment for workers, and enforce these laws. Second, governments around the world must begin heavily taxing any corporations involved in the fast-fashion industry, and use this money to fund programs helping workers. Sign the petition!