The ReFashion Project
Royal Holloway, University of London and Nottingham University, funded by UKRI Global Challenges Research Fund (2020-22)
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe disruption throughout the global garment and footwear supply chain.
Manufacturing shutdowns and consumer lockdowns around the world have led major brands to cancel orders with their suppliers, forcing a halt to production. The effects have been devastating for the workers who usually cut and stitch the world’s supply of clothing and shoes. In Cambodia, for example, the garment sector employs nearly 1 million people, 80% of whom are women. To date, up to a third have been laid off or suspended from factories.
Despite collaborative efforts to improve the quality of work in the garment sector, there is little formal support available to help these women workers and their families cope through any short- or longer-term period of unemployment. Securing income and sustaining livelihoods has become an urgent challenge for many. From September 2020, the ReFashion Project has been leading original longitudinal research to track and amplify the experiences of over 200 women garment workers in Cambodia through the pandemic.
The Wedding Ring Cast | Erica Tan, Ros Mony, Trai Rothanak, Mony Yuth, Bun Thach, and Chakrya Chea
The Haul Cast | Kirsty Day, Deka, Samnang Visa, Sara Chantra, and Heng Savoeun
Team
Producer & Director | Robin Narciso
Director of Photography | Thomas Cristofoletti
Assistant Director | Ines Sothea
Line Producers | Simouy Seng & Phong Sopheaktra (Tra)
Sound Engineer | Put Bunnary
Camera Assistant / Focus Puller | Maty Prom & Pisey Nith
Costumes and set design | Luisa Roa Mantilla
Prop Master | John Alex
Production Assistant | Kao Sophanit
Make Up Artist | Somnang Pheaktra
Audio post-production | Kongchak Pictures
Sound Design | Srey Moch Kim & Vincent Villa
Colorist | Phanith Chhum
VFX | Lim Heng
Gaffers Team | Sok Dy & Pov Sokhoun, Sorn Tha, Key Vuththeng, Run Khemara, Meas Phalla, Men Dara
Transportation | Uch Mao Mao & Kim Meng
Photographer | Thomas Cristofoletti
The Wedding Ring
The pandemic is in its 8th month in Cambodia and most garment factories are suspending production. Hundreds of thousands of workers have been left without an income. Leakhena, a pregnant woman and mother of an 8-year-old, is one of them.
The Haul
This film connects the lives of two Cambodian garment workers with a fashion vlogger and influencer based in the United Kingdom.
The workers face worsening labor conditions in new sub-contracting or shadow factories which increased in number as the pandemic progressed into its second year.
