workers not being paid for work already done, which is slavery.” For many brands, this theft was not only legal, but outlined in their contracts with factories overseas, which enabled them to cancel orders at any time. Retailers cited a force majeure clause to claim that they didn’t need to take clothing they had ordered before the pandemic — and they also didn’t have to pay for it, even if the product had already been made after hundreds of hours of painstaking labor. This decision was enforced by nearly all of the world’s most pro table apparel companies, only 20 of whom control (https://www.glossy.co/fashion/thepandemic-is-tightening-fashion-conglomeratesgrip-on-the-industry#) 97 percent of the industry’s pro ts. Among (https://payupfashion.com/trackingbrands/) the o enders were Walmart, Sears, Kohl’s, Nike, Forever 21, H&M, Gap, Adidas, The Children’s Place and Ross Stores. What followed was one of the largest (https://atmos.earth/payup-bangladesh-factoryworker-social-campaign/) transfers of wealth from the Global South to the West in recent history.