Fast fashion garments pile up in South Asia as war grounds planes

Shipments of garments for Zara owner Inditex and other major clothing retailers are stranded at airports in Bangladesh and India, according to three manufacturers, as the conflict in the Middle East forces airlines such as Emirates and Qatar Airways to cancel flights.

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South Asia is a clothes manufacturing powerhouse and fast fashion brands around the world rely on factories in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan for a constant stream of new T-shirts, dresses and jeans.

“Some of my apparel consignments are currently stuck at Dhaka airport,” said Shovon Islam, managing director of manufacturer Sparrow Group, whose European clients include Inditex, MAS, Next, and Primark.

“They were supposed to be flown to the UK via Dubai, but with operations at Dubai airport suspended, we are now in a very difficult position. We're trying to figure out alternative routes, but none of them are simple or cost-effective,” Islam added.

Most airspace in the Middle East is still closed since the conflict began last Saturday, forcing the world’s busiest airport, Dubai, to shut down for several days with airlines including Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Etihad cancelling many flights.

Much of South Asia relies on Gulf airlines to send cargo, usually in commercial flights with some cargo-only aircraft, said Frederic Horst, managing director at Trade and Transport Group in Sydney.

More than half of Bangladesh's air cargo travels via the Gulf, he said, and 418 of India’s, with Emirates and Qatar Airways the most important carriers.

Inditex has 150 suppliers in Bangladesh, 122 in India and 69 in Pakistan, according to its 2023 annual report.