The Journey of a Planet Money T-Shirt: From Cotton Fields to Factories in Bangladesh
- Didem Kurtoğlu
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
These people are making Planet Money T-shirts, and they’re deeply curious about the production process from start to finish. They want to know every step—where the fabric comes from, how it’s made, and how it travels through the supply chain. In this podcast, they take us all the way to Bangladesh, visiting the ateliers where the T-shirts are crafted and speaking directly with the women who work there.
The show highlights the profound economic and social changes that garment factories bring to people’s lives. From providing steady income and skills to creating opportunities for women in local communities, the factories have a tangible impact on both families and society.
Today’s episode focuses on love and betrayal. It tells the story of two sisters who worked on the Planet Money T-shirt, offering a personal lens on the global garment industry. Their experiences reveal the challenges and complexities of working in a sector that fuels a major part of the world’s fast fashion economy.
The journey of a T-shirt begins in the cotton fields, where raw materials are grown and harvested. It continues through spinning, weaving, dyeing, cutting, and sewing—often across multiple countries—before finally being packaged and shipped to stores. Along the way, every step shapes the lives of countless workers, many of whom are women, highlighting both the opportunities and hardships of this massive global industry.
By following the T-shirt’s path, the podcast uncovers the human stories behind the clothes we wear, giving listeners insight into the economic, social, and cultural ripple effects of the garment trade in Bangladesh. It’s a story of labor, resilience, and the often overlooked people who make the global fashion industry possible.
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