“The jasmine flower scent helps with the headaches from the factory chemicals and heat. It’s better than medicine – and we can’t afford medicine anyway.” – Lakshmi
In thousands of garment factories in Tamil Nadu, women garment workers endure 8–10-hour shifts, racing to complete grueling targets as high as 1,000 pieces of clothing in a single day. The work takes a severe physical toll: Back pain, repetitive strain injuries, and skin conditions from chemical exposure. Adding to their hardships are abusive supervisors and a lack of basic amenities, like food refrigerators, which often leaves lunches spoiled before mealtime.
In the midst of these daily struggles, one enduring tradition catches the eye: Flowers adorn the hair of most women toiling on the factory floor. Jasmine strands delicately preserved from temple offerings, roses salvaged from fading bouquets, or blooms lovingly grown in small home gardens. These are not mere adornments, they are symbols of resilience, comfort, and dignity, offering moments of beauty and relief from the harshness of factory work.
For some women, preserving flowers to last multiple days is a skill passed down from mothers and colleagues. “I learned from older workers how to keep jasmine fresh longer,” said Vimala, a 27-year-old machine operator in Tirupur. “We wrap flowers in damp newspaper and store them in a plastic box. This way, one string of flowers can last two to three days.”
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…
Read the full article, written by Indian workers rights activists, Nandita Shivakumar & Nikita Joseph and edited by journalist and activist, Tansy Hoskins over at tansyhoskins.org.