‘The Children Behind the Brands’ report exposes exploitation in plastic bottle recycling and the garment industry

A digital copy of the report is available to read online.

Early morning on Tuesday 14th July 2026, the Chair of UK-registered charity Friends of Street Children Bangladesh (FSCBD) Mike Sherriff released the findings from his report ‘The Children Behind the Brands’, that includes actual accounts of street children who hand-collect plastic bottles, surviving on barely £1 per day. These r-PET plastics are often exported and used in recycled synthetic and mixed-fibre clothing within the western garment industry. While international clothing brands make huge financial profits, the brands barely recognise the labour and plight of the street children that the manufacturing process exploits.

“It’s not inevitable. Children don’t need to live and work on the streets in this exploitative chain. It requires a response.”
– ‘The Children Behind the Brands’ author, Mike Sherriff

Mike spoke extensively about his researched findings, and how recycling chains or manufacture processes lock the street children of Bangladesh into cycles of poverty and exploitation – often putting vulnerable children in physical, psychological and sexual harm – and how these well-known garment industry brands openly state in their marketing materials that they are proud to use recycled materials, yet fail to acknowledge that it’s the south Asian children behind the brands that do the initial collecting from the streets of cities like Dhaka in Bangladesh. The UK high street brands that use such recycled plastics in their garments include Marks & Spencer, H&M and Zara.

Mike was joined by Forhad Hussain, Executive Director of LEEDO Peace Home during a rare UK visit. LEEDO is a children’s shelter currently safeguarding more than 70 street-connected children in Dhaka that FSCBD supports with sustenance, a place to stay, and with educational projects. Report designer and FSCBD trustee, Saif Osmani, spoke about the journey of FSCBD to date, and the next steps for the charity.

“It is against the law to employ children in Bangladesh, but nobody implements it…” – statement from audience member

The report was launched at Voluntary Action Islington, attended by people in the voluntary, children rights, media and human rights sectors. A Q&A session followed the presentations.

To receive a paper copy of the report please email FSCBD at friendsofscbd@gmail.com. Printed reports cost £10, and will be sent in the post, with all proceeds going towards the charity.

You can read an online version of the report ‘The Children Behind the Brands’ via the FSCBD Publications webpage: https://streetchildrenbd.uk/publications/

Please share the findings widely.

You can make a donation to FSCBD via: https://streetchildrenbd.uk/make-a-donation/