Erak Giyim
Reducing heat stress in denim manufacturing
Climate-related workforce risk: Extreme heat, indoor heat stress, reduced productivity and worker health risks
Solution pathway: Evaporative cooling, water-efficient equipment, wastewater recycling and smart sensors
Business type: Manufacturer
Sector: Denim and apparel manufacturing
Geography: Turkey
In practice
Erak Giyim reportedly responded after workers raised concerns about high operating temperatures. The company installed evaporative cooling systems that reduced peak indoor temperatures and used significantly less energy than conventional air conditioning. It also invested in more efficient washing machines, reverse osmosis for wastewater recycling, and smart humidity sensors in dryers.
The case is useful because it links worker health, heat adaptation, water efficiency and energy efficiency. Rather than treating heat stress as a standalone welfare issue, the company appears to have addressed the factory systems that were contributing to heat, water use and operational inefficiency.
Why this example was selected
This case study was curated because Erak Giyim has been externally profiled as a manufacturer responding to extreme heat risks in factory settings, and because its wider resource-efficiency work has been recognised through participation in the EU-funded Horizon 2020 Waste2Fresh project.
The case is particularly relevant for apparel and textile manufacturers because production sites can face overlapping climate pressures: hotter indoor working conditions, rising water stress, wastewater challenges and pressure to reduce energy-intensive cooling. Erak Giyim’s example shows how workforce health and manufacturing efficiency can be addressed together through practical changes to cooling, water reuse and factory process management.
