Beyonce’s new sportswear collection sold exclusively at TopShop is reportedly made by Sri Lankan factory workers who earn just £4.30 a day.

The clothes are made by MAS Holdings factory in Sri Lanka which belongs to tycoon Mahesh Amalean and his two brothers.

As The Sun reports, the seamstresses who are making Beyonce’s activewear clothing line Ivy Park are working more than 60 hours per week and for less than half the average Sri Lankan wage.

Beyonce’s collection has previously been criticised for being overpriced and excluding, as it is only available up to a UK size 14.

A 22-year-old sewing machine operator told The Sun that her 18,500 rupee (£87.26) monthly salary is not enough to survive on. She works shifts of almost ten hours Monday to Friday with just a half hour lunchbreak and also works overtime and on Saturdays.

She and her sister share a room in a boarding house and said: ‘We have to share the shower block with the men so there isn’t much privacy. It is shocking and many of the women are very scared.’

The Sun reported Jakub Sobik of Anti-Slavery International said: ‘Companies like Topshop have a duty to find out if these things are happening.

Ivy Park was launched with the mission statement of ‘inspiring and supporting women’.

A seamstress with MAS holdings said: ‘When they talk about women and empowerment this is just for the foreigners. They want the foreigners to think everything is OK.’
MAS is not breaking any laws and even the poorest workers are paid more than the legal minimum wage of 13,500 rupees a month.

But campaigners say a living wage is nearer 43,000 rupees.

Jakub Sobik, from the charity Anti-Slavery International, said: “This is a form of sweat shop slavery.

“There are a number of elements here that tick the boxes in terms of slavery, the low pay, restriction of women’s movement at night and locking them in.

However, a Topshop spokesperson told the Sun that “Ivy Park has a rigorous ethical trading programme.

“We are proud of our sustained efforts in terms of factory inspections and audits, and our teams work very closely with our suppliers and their factories to ensure compliance.”