Trax Apparel

The WRC identified multiple violations of Cambodian law and university labor standards at Trax Apparel, a collegiate supplier to adidas, including the illegal firing of eight workers in retaliation for forming a union to seek better working conditions. Initially, management reinstated four of the eight leaders, however, with only partial back pay and subjected them to discriminatory treatment upon their return.

After extensive engagement with adidas by the WRC, the union, and university affiliates, Trax Apparel offered to rehire, immediately and unconditionally, the four worker leaders in question. Three out of the four leaders accepted the reinstatement and returned to work in March 2023. Trax also provided full back pay to all eight of the worker leaders who were fired in June 2020. As a result, the university code violations at Trax were remedied.

At the end of 2023, the union leaders reported greater respect for the union, whose membership has tripled since the union leaders were reinstated. The WRC will continue to monitor the factory to ensure that Trax Apparel continues to comply with university codes of conduct and Cambodian labor law.

Read More:

• WRC Factory Assessment: Trax Apparel (Cambodia) Co., Ltd. Findings, Recommendations, Company Response, Current Status of Remediation – October 20, 2022
• Update: Adidas’s Refusal to Correct University Code Violations at Trax Apparel (Cambodia) – January 30, 2023
• Update: Breakthrough at Trax Apparel (Cambodia) – February 17, 2023
• Successful Remediation at Adidas Supplier in Cambodia – February 6, 2024

In the News:

• Adidas supplier reinstates sacked workers – Ecotextile News, February 8, 2024
• Who Made Your World Cup Jersey? – The New York Times, December 1, 2022
• EXCLUSIVE: England’s £115 Qatar World Cup shirts made by Thai factory workers paid just £1 an hour – The Mirror, November 18, 2022
• Sweatpants sales are booming, but the workers who make them are earning even less – Vox, February 22, 2022