Women in the Clothing Industry: Empowerment, Challenges, and the Choice for Local

The clothing industry has traditionally been a sector where women do the work but rarely make the decisions. Worldwide, it is primarily women who sit behind the sewing machines — in factories in Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Turkey — while the boardrooms and purchasing departments are traditionally dominated by men. This contrast is not coincidental, and it changes more slowly than many people think.

At Atelier Jungles, we do not observe this from a distance. Giselle van der Star founded the atelier from a personal conviction: that fair clothing production starts with fair relationships — both on the shop floor and in leadership. As a female entrepreneur in an industry that structurally underutilizes women, she knows from personal experience how powerful it is to break that norm.

What empowerment of women in the clothing industry really means

Empowerment goes beyond well-intentioned initiatives or nice mission statements. In practice, it means: equal pay, safe working conditions, control over one's own working hours, and real opportunities for advancement. In many production countries, this is still lacking.

At Atelier Jungles, women with a distance to the labor market work — women with a refugee background who have the skills but did not get the opportunities. By producing locally in The Hague, we not only create jobs but also a work environment where craftsmanship is valued and people can truly advance.

"I wanted to build an atelier that you can visit, where you know the people who make your clothes. No anonymous production chain a thousand kilometers away, but transparency from start to finish." — Giselle van der Star, founder Atelier Jungles

The challenges are persistent — even in the Netherlands

Unequal treatment does not stop at the border. Even in the Netherlands, women in the manufacturing industry earn on average less than men and have less access to leadership positions. Female entrepreneurs in fashion and textiles often encounter funding barriers and are taken less seriously by investors or large purchasing departments.

At the same time, we see another movement. More female founders are emerging in sustainable fashion, more ateliers are consciously choosing inclusive teams, and more brands see transparency about their supply chain as a distinguishing factor. This is a shift that Giselle experiences up close — as an entrepreneur, as an employer, and as a member of a growing network of like-minded individuals.

How you as a brand or company can make a difference

If you have clothing produced or corporate clothing made, you as a client have direct influence on the supply chain. Choosing a local atelier with a fair personnel policy is not a marketing story — it is a concrete decision with concrete consequences for the people who sew your clothes.

That does not mean you need to have a perfect sustainability program before you start. It means you ask conscious questions: who makes this? Under what conditions? What do we pay per piece and is that realistic? Those questions are also good for your brand — more and more customers, tenderers, and investors are asking them too.

Clothing production as a choice for fair relationships

At Atelier Jungles, we combine clothing production with social employment. We produce locally in The Hague for brands, startups, and organizations that want to operate consciously. Whether it is about a first clothing line, sustainable corporate clothing, or upcycling existing textiles — the choice for local production is always also a choice for a fairer industry.

Are you curious about how we work or do you want to brainstorm about your clothing production? Schedule an introductory meeting or read more about clothing production in the Netherlands at Atelier Jungles.

Do you want to contribute to a fairer clothing industry?

You do not have to be an activist. As a brand or organization, you can already make small but meaningful choices today: choose transparent producers, ask questions about working conditions, and prefer ateliers that offer work to people with fewer opportunities. Every order is a vote for the way the industry looks in the future.

Do you work from a fashion school or research institution and are you interested in an internship or collaboration? Then contact us via our press & collaboration page.