24 Million Bangladeshi Workers Are Dependent on the Leather Sector, and Many Enter the Labor Force as Children; Life Expectancy for Tannery Workers is Only 40-50 Years Due to Toxic Chemical Exposure.
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 28, 2026 – Green America released a new report on the environmental and health impacts of the leather industry in Bangladesh, and particularly the exposure of child laborers to harsh labor conditions and toxic chemicals. The new report includes the stories of four children who worked in the sector and worked with highly toxic chemicals without adequate protection.
Todd Larsen, Executive Co-Director at Green America, said: “Leather comes at a devastating cost, with child laborers risking their lives daily to produce goods sold in wealthier countries. Consumer awareness is spreading and sustainable alternatives are emerging, but corporations need to step up to address this problem in their supply chains and products.”
“Everything of my work is risky. I have to handle dangerous acids. Electric wires are not well managed… we often get shocked,” said Rafi, who was 10 years old when he left home in Tangail to work near the Hemayetpur Tannery Complex.
Zayan, who was 14 when he started working at another tannery in Hemayetpur, said he works 14 to 16 hours every day with no holidays. The harsh work environment and toxic chemicals wear down his young body, and the average life expectancy for tannery workers like him is only 40 to 50 years.
The leather sector is highly profitable, with the global leather goods market reaching $242.85 billion in 2022 and projected to surpass $400 billion by 2030. But in tanneries and workshops, unsafe machinery and hazardous materials cause workers to suffer chemical burns, respiratory illnesses, chronic skin disease, and frequent injuries. The leather production supply chain also relies on more than 200 toxic chemicals, exposing workers of all ages to serious health risks and harming local communities with chemical run-off.
With a population of more than 170 million people, roughly 14% of Bangladesh’s workforce depends on jobs linked to the leather industry, from large tanneries to informal workshops, and many of these workers enter the leather labor force as children.
According to the report findings:
- In Bangladesh’s informal tannery sector, child labor is often an open secret. With weak labor inspections and little fear of penalties, employers routinely hire minors to perform the most dangerous jobs.
- Bangladesh has some of the most hazardous tanning and dyeing operations in the world. Much of the semi-finished leather processed there is then shipped to China for further manufacturing into consumer goods destined for wealthy countries.
- Leather tanning and processing in Bangladesh exposes workers to highly toxic chemicals without adequate protection. Workers routinely handle substances such as hexavalent chromium, formaldehyde, arsenic, sulfides, and banned azo dyes—many of which are classified as carcinogens or highly hazardous chemicals by international health agencies (Cividep, 2023).
- Safety regulations are frequently ignored or unenforced, leaving workers vulnerable to acute injuries such as acid burns, chemical splashes, and respiratory distress. Moreover, the workplace environment is physically taxing: nearly 80% of workers report exposure to harmful noise levels, and over 70% labor in sweltering heat and humidity without adequate ventilation (Cividep, 2023).
- Chronic exposure to these chemicals causes a broad spectrum of severe health problems, including chronic skin conditions like dermatitis, respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and asthma, neurological damage, and several forms of cancer, particularly lung and bladder cancer. It also contributes to significant mental health issues.
- These conditions are compounded by low wages, with laborers, including child laborers earning irregular, informal, or seasonal pay.
- A key factor enabling these conditions is the leather industry’s low transparency. A 2024 study found that only 17 out of 100 major leather brands publicly disclose suppliers beyond their top-tier factories (Together for Decent Leather). Certification programs like the Leather Working Group (LWG) focus primarily on water and chemical management, often overlooking critical labor rights and worker protections (SOMO, 2022). This loophole-filled system allows multinational brands to continue sourcing from factories and tanneries with documented abuses while marketing themselves as ethically responsible to consumers in the Global North.
- The leather industry creates significant environmental impacts as well.
- Bangladesh’s tanning sector produces substantial emissions—an estimated 65 to 110 kg CO₂ per square meter of leather, especially under chromium tanning (Research Gate).
- Tanneries discharge heavy metals like hexavalent chromium that are absorbed into crops and fish, leading to bioaccumulation in the food chain and elevated cancer, liver, and kidney disease rates in nearby populations (Financial Express).
To address child labor and other abuses documented in the report, corporations should adopt a strong due diligence program, support worker-driven social responsibility programs, adopt supply chain transparency, extend protections throughout the supply chain, collaborate on systemic improvements, and invest in ethical and renewable material alternatives.
Consumers can also play a role in shifting the market to more responsible practices. Consumers actions include: Not buying new leather, purchasing vegetable-tanned leather with natural dyes, looking for ethical and renewable alternatives, and researching companies before purchasing.
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Green America is the nation’s leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today’s social and environmental problems. http://www.GreenAmerica.org
MEDIA CONTACT: Max Karlin for Green America, (703) 276-3255, or mkarlin@hastingsgroupmedia.com.
