Lululemon leggings ‘made by Bangladeshi female factory workers who claim they are beaten’

Workers ‘subjected to physical violence, humiliation and verbal abuse’

(Getty Images)

Lululemon has launched an investigation into its sourcing of clothing after a report said young female factory workers supplying the brand were beaten and physically assaulted.

According to an investigation by The Guardian, the Canadian athleisure brand used a factory in Bangladesh where women are subjected to physical violence, humiliation and verbal abuse, with managers calling them “wh****” and “s****”.

Lululemon has told the publication it has a zero-tolerance approach to such practices and will immediately launch an investigation.

“There are currently no orders planned for this factory, and we will take appropriate action based upon the findings of our investigation,” a spokesperson for the brand told The Guardian.

The factory in question is owned by Youngone Corporation, which supplies a number of athletic apparel businesses, including Lululemon.

A report on the Youngone Corporation from 2016 by Forbes stated that the brand also manufacturers clothing for Nike and Adidas.

The workers claim that they are forced to work overtime and if they break any rules or leave earlier than expected, they will be physically or verbally assaulted.

Some labourers said they are paid £85 a month for their work, which is £17 less than the cheapest pair of Lululemon leggings, the product for which the Canadian brand is famed.

On 8 October Lululemon launched a partnership with the United Nations Foundation to address the mental and physical health of UN development and humanitarian workers.

At the time, Calvin McDonald, CEO of Lululemon, said the brand and the foundation “share a commitment to building community and developing collaborative solutions for some of the world’s most pressing issues”.

On Lululemon’s website, it states that it doesn’t own its manufacturing facilities but takes “great care” in selecting its manufacturing partners, adding: “Our approach is to build relationships with factories that are aligned with our values and meet our sourcing expectations.”

Youngone Corporation told The Guardian that it is “fully committed to providing a working environment in all its facilities that is safe, fair and just”.

“It said employees are encouraged to share their opinion or launch a complaint through many different channels. The company said that when grievances have been found they have been addressed and led to disciplinary proceedings.”

The company added that it has launched an internal review into the proceedings.

In a statement sent to The Independent, a Lululemon spokesperson said: “We take these allegations very seriously and we are committed to a full, independent investigation.

“Members of Lululemon’s social responsibility and production team visited the factory in Bangladesh immediately to speak with workers and learn more. We will work with an independent non-profit third party to fully investigate the matter.

“While our production at this factory is extremely limited, we will ensure workers are protected from any form of abuse and are treated fairly.”