Slave to fashion

17 March 2021 By Dasha Afanasieva Follow @dasha_reuters

The U.S. is detaining products containing cotton produced in China’s Xinjiang region over forced-labour concerns. The burden of proof is on the importer, so groups like Inditex and Ralph Lauren need to know the fibre’s origins. Or some goods may fail to reach American shelves.

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began detaining cotton products and tomato products produced in China’s Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region at all U.S. ports of entry on Jan. 13.

Importers are responsible for ensuring the products they are attempting to import do not exploit forced labour at any point in their supply chain, including the production or harvesting of the raw material.

More than 80% of Chinese cotton is produced in Xinjiang, a region home to 11 million Uighurs. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in London told Reuters in July that “the Chinese side has repeatedly responded to and rebuked false reports and accusations surrounding Xinjiang”.

As of Feb. 26, CBP had detained approximately 100 shipments under this so-called Withhold Release Order (WRO) on cotton products and tomato products from Xinjiang.

Nike said it did not source products from the region: “We have confirmed with our contract suppliers that they are not using textiles or spun yarn from the region,” the company said in a statement.

Inditex said it complied with all relevant laws and regulations in all the markets in which it operates but declined to comment on cotton fibres or the WRO.

Gap said in a statement that it did not source any garments from Xinjiang, while recognising that a significant amount of the world’s cotton supply is grown and spun there.

Ralph Lauren said it did not source any yarn, textiles or products from Xinjiang and that its suppliers are prohibited from using any cotton grown there.

Context News

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began detaining cotton products and tomato products produced in China’s Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region at all U.S. ports of entry on Jan. 13.

As of Feb. 26, CBP had detained approximately 100 shipments under this so-called Withhold Release Order (WRO) on cotton products and tomato products from Xinjiang.

Inditex said it complied with all relevant laws and regulations in all the markets in which it operates but declined to comment on cotton fibres or the WRO.

Gap said in a statement that it did not source any garments from Xinjiang, while recognising that a significant amount of the world’s cotton supply is grown and spun there.

Ralph Lauren said it did not source any yarn, textiles or products from Xinjiang and that its suppliers are prohibited from using any cotton grown there.

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