‘It is bread we fight for, but we fight for roses too.’ I am very pleased to have published this important article by Nandita Shivakumar & Nikita Joseph. Through flowers they provide an intimate insight into the lives of garment workers in Tamil Nadu whilst debunking the nonsense of CSR schemes.

The wearing of flowers by garment workers is profoundly misunderstood. It has come under criticism as a sign of ‘financial-illiteracy’ - of frivolous high spending amongst low-waged women who can’t manage their monthly expenses. Flowers have become a target and a way to blame garment workers for their poverty while sidelining the systemic inequities that characterise the garment industry. But the stories of women workers in Tamil Nadu challenge these misconceptions. They reveal both adeptness in managing extremely limited wages and the way that these flowers, often obtained at minimal or no cost, carry profound meaning. These are flowers worn as acts of self-care, offering a source of joy and resilience amidst the systemic injustices they face.
Tansy Hoskins @TansyHoskins