Climate-driven heat in India’s textile factories stifles workers but coolers and ventilation help

SURAT, India (AP) — For dozens of workers at a textile manufacturer on the edge of Surat, the blazing temperatures and high humidity on a recent afternoon were amplified by steam, radiating heat and chemical smells that emerged from the heavy machines that dominate nearly every inch of the low-ceilinged factory floor.

The machines, called stenters, roared like engines, boilers hissed and drum washers released clouds of steam. The sound was relentless, the air heavy.

Soni Pande, a 27-year-old worker and single mother, said fans and coolers that spray mist help, but are overpowered on the hottest days.

“The heat does make us weak. We sweat a lot. Some people feel dizzy, unwell,” said Pande, who came from Bihar state in eastern India. “There are fans and coolers, but it's still so hot inside.”

At factories around the western coastal industrial hub, employees work day and night guiding damp lengths of fabric into the metal jaws of machines that use high temperatures to dry, print, dye and finish cloth. The millions of meters of polyester cloth produced at these factories are shipped to textile companies around the world to make sarees, dresses and other affordable clothing.

Like most other parts of the country, Surat is witnessing rising day and nighttime temperatures and longer summer months in part due to climate change, and workers say the heat inside factories is unbearable at times. The problem has proved stubborn, because even when factories install cooling equipment, the effects can be limited. And faced with losses due to United States tariffs and supply disruptions caused by the Iran war, factory owners seem less willing or able to invest the thousands of dollars needed to install and maintain cooling systems.

Many factories have exhaust fans, and some have installed coolers that use water evaporation to lower temperatures while circulating fresh air from outside. Unlike air conditioners, coolers don’t require sealed rooms, making them suitable for factories with open doors.

In the factory where Pande works in the Sachin industrial area near Surat, which The Associated Press visited, coolers were placed in relatively quieter areas where workers gathered for 10 to 15 minute breaks. In another factory, a centralized air duct carried cool air across the floor from coolers placed at either end. In both cases, they provided only temporary relief and were outnumbered by the roaring textile machines.

“We sweat a lot and feel dizzy sometimes,” said Kundan Kumar, a worker from Bihar who runs a dyeing machine at Vinit Fabrics, the second factory which is located at the Palsana industrial area, near Surat.

Kumar said the conditions remain challenging despite the coolers.

“Dyeing work is tough. It is difficult, but we have to do our work,” he said, adding: “We need money to help our families, so we have to work.”

India, the world’s most populous country, is also among the most vulnerable to climate change. Every year, storms, floods and extreme heat affect millions across the country, resulting in thousands of deaths and billions of dollars lost.

A 2022 World Bank report estimates that 75% of India’s workforce, or about 380 million people, is impacted by heat, ranging from construction workers to factory employees, and those temperatures can create potentially life-threatening conditions.

India has laws and guidelines that are meant to protect workers from extreme heat, but labor unions sent a letter to the government earlier this year asking for stricter laws as well as better implementation and oversight on the ground. Another challenge is that many of the labor laws do not cover the more than 550 million informal workers — nearly 90% of India's workforce — including many of the textile workers in Surat.

Pooja Yadav, of the think tank WRI India, said humidity and heat can combine to create dangerous conditions in the Surat factories.

"In textile processing units where steam and hot water are used, indoor conditions can be worse than outside,” she said.

Inside factories, workers face a mix of hot air and chemical fumes that can trigger headaches, dehydration and fainting during shifts that can last 12 hours, she said.

“They can also develop long term issues with their lungs and kidneys,” said Yadav, who added that high heat and humidity also can cut worker efficiency.

Disruptions to shipping, materials and energy prices caused by the Iran war as well as the heavy tariffs levied by the Trump administration have hit Surat’s textile industry, reducing the ability of factory owners to invest in cooling equipment.

Surat is among the world's largest hubs for producing polyester and other synthetic fabric. The textile industry employs more than 1.4 million workers and produces an estimated 30 million meters of polyester cloth every day, according to local government statistics.

Polyester is a synthetic fabric made from a type of plastic derived from petroleum, exposing the producers to price increases caused by the Iran war. Factory managers say many workers returned to their hometowns in other parts of India after production plummeted and have refused to come back to work because of the heavy heat.

Subhash Sharma, manager of textile production at Vinit Fabrics, said they usually employ about 700 people but they are running at only 60% of their capacity due to a combination of economic pressure and labor shortages.

“In the last few years, we are seeing that the number of laborers are reducing due to increasing heat,” he said.

Installing systems that either expel hot air or bring in cool air, such as turbo ventilators and air coolers, providing adequate ventilation and better insulating machines can improve working conditions, according to WRI India.

Vinit Fabrics spent about $5,300 for installing cooling systems, Sharma said. The company has also used jute bags to insulate heat radiating machines and have made sure gutters in the floor that carry hot water remain closed.

However, Yadav said most other factories in Surat still rely on fans and that more effective cooling equipment is not common.

Yadav said that policymakers also need to think about industrial areas when coming up with heat action plans.

On the factory floor, workers like Pande, the single mother, earn $7 for 10-12 hour shifts. She said that regardless of the condition, work is not optional.

“We don’t have a choice. I must provide for three kids. Heat or not, we have to work,” she said.

Follow Sibi Arasu on X at @sibi123.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Employees work on a hot day as ventilation systems dispensing cool air across the factory are visible on the ceiling at Vinit Fabrics in Palsana near Surat, India, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

A worker stands in front of a fan on a hot day at Vinit Fabrics in Palsana near Surat, India, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Pooja Yadav, of the think tank WRI India, shows temperature and humidity on anemometer at Vinit Fabrics in Palsana near in Surat, India, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Steam comes out of a textile factory on a hot day in Sachin near Surat, India, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

A worker sits near a fan at a textile factory on a hot day in Sachin near Surat, India, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Steam comes out of a machine near a worker at a textile factory on a hot day in Sachin near Surat, India, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

A worker carries material on a hot day at Vinit Fabrics in Palsana near Surat, India, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Workers rest near a fan on a hot day at Vinit Fabrics in Palsana near Surat, India, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Workers sit near a fan during a break on a hot day at a textile factory in Sachin near Surat, India, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

A worker drinks water at a textile factory on a hot day in Sachin near Surat, India, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Ventilation systems dispense cool air across a factory from the ceiling at Vinit Fabrics in Palsana near Surat, India, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Sweat is visible on a worker on a hot day at Vinit Fabrics in Palsana near Surat, India, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Soni Pande works at a textile factory on a hot day in Sachin near Surat, India, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

A worker wipes sweat from his face on a hot day at Vinit Fabrics in Palsana near Surat, India, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Canada is ready to set aside its reputation for politeness, at least during the World Cup.

With a chance to make history at home, after decades of World Cup disappointment, Canada’s players are talking less about manners and more about mentality.

“I don’t think it’s always a bad thing to play with arrogance,” midfielder Niko Sigur said. “I think we’re at our best when we play with that swagger.”

Canada opened Group B play with a draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina, earning the country's first World Cup point. On Thursday against Qatar, Canada will be seeking its first victory.

“I think if we’re at our best and we’re all together, including guys off the bench and the starters,” Sigur said, “that we can give them a lot of trouble.”

Short-handed Canada also got a boost Wednesday when coach Jesse Marsch said captain Alphonso Davies would be available after missing the opener because of a hamstring injury.

“We’ll see how the match goes and then make a decision on how we would choose to use him,” March said of Davies, who was Canada's lone World Cup goal scorer before Cyle Larin found the net last week.

Forward Promise David is recovering from a hip injury and Marcelo Flores, one of Canada's top performers during qualifying, was ruled out of the tournament in May with a knee injury.

Defender Moïse Bombito has not played since suffering a broken leg in October. Before that, he had started every match during Marsch’s two-year tenure.

The injuries have created opportunities for others, including Jayden Nelson, who replaced Flores on the roster after netting a stoppage-time goal against Uzbekistan earlier this month.

“We know we have the weapons” needed to win, midfielder Stephen Eustáquio said.

That confidence has become a recurring theme for Canada. Rather than focusing on the pressure of hosting, players have embraced the moment.

“You could use the word ‘pressure,’” defender Richie Laryea said. “I think we could use the word ‘ready.’”

Laryea’s perspective reflects the attitude Marsch has tried to establish since taking the job. Canada has become known for its high-intensity pressing system and willingness to challenge opponents physically.

“We’re always on the front foot,” Laryea said. “I think that coincides pretty well with getting in people’s faces.”

Yet players understand there is a fine line between playing with an edge and going too far.

Defenders Luc de Fougerolles and Alistair Johnston each carry yellow cards into the Qatar match. If teams finish level on points, goal difference and goals scored — which is where all four teams in Group B stood entering Thursday — FIFA’s fair-play system acts as a tiebreaker, meaning disciplinary records could influence who advances from the group.

Four years ago, Qatar became the first host country to lose all three group matches. But after watching Qatar’s opening 1-1 draw against Switzerland, Sigur said Qatar should be taken seriously, pointing to its focus across 90 minutes.

“It’s the World Cup,” forward Ali Ahmed said. “You can’t play this game on paper.”

More than 50,000 fans are expected at BC Place for a match that could become one of the most significant in Canadian soccer history, and players have repeatedly referenced the energy they hope Vancouver can provide.

“I think losing my voice will be a good call,” said Canada fan Adam Lovell, a member of a supporters' club called The Voyageurs. “I’ll try to set the tone with the fan culture.”

Eustáquio is aiming for an aggressive start fueled by a sense of urgency to give the home crowd something to cheer.

“Hopefully,” Eustáquio said, “that takes out the little bit of power that Qatar has.”

He knows this is no time to be polite.

Drew Renner is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.

AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup

Canada head coach Jesse Marsch kicks a ball before a FIFA World Cup soccer training session, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada head coach Jesse Marsch, back left, kicks a ball during a FIFA World Cup soccer training session, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Ali Ahmed, left and teammate Canada's Promise David speak to referee Facundo Tello during the World Cup Group B soccer match between Canada and Bosnia in Toronto, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Canada's Stephen Eustaquio, left, and Luc de Fougerolles, middle, work out during a training session on the eve of the team's FIFA World Cup soccer match against Qatar, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Canada's Niko Sigur, center, works out during a training session during the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, Monday, June 15, 2026 in Vancouver, British Columbia. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)