Such practices run alongside allegations of arbitrary detention, torture, forced sterilization, and rape in facilities that China calls vocational schools, but are widely considered detention facilities. added the report. The details support findings from past exposures by newspapers and rights groups.

Since details of such abuse came to light in recent years, some brands have vowed to avoid sourcing cotton from Xinjiang, while others have said they will instead rely on more careful checks.

In response to questions, Ryohin Keikaku, which makes MUJI clothing and household products, conducts annual third-party audits of the cotton used and has so far identified no “serious violations.” He repeated his statement, saying no. last year. A spokesperson said the company will terminate the business relationship if such violations are found.

MUJI remains one of the largest brands outside of China that hasn’t distanced itself from Xinjiang cotton, and some clothing tags clearly show that the material was produced in the region. is shown in

Many of MUJI’s overseas customer base are Chinese. Of the approximately 600 stores the brand operates outside of its home country of Japan, over 270 are in China.

A 2020 report by the think-tank Australian Institute for Strategic Policy linked MUJI with more than 80 other international brands to potential suppliers to be part of the Xinjiang region’s labor transfer scheme.

German apparel brand Hugo Boss told Eco Business that it does not source “ready-made garments from China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region” and does not tolerate forced labor or modern-day slavery.

Last year, Hugo Boss’ China branch said on social media that it was buying and supporting Xinjiang cotton. The company later issued a statement saying the posting was unauthorized and that it did not source any goods “from direct suppliers” from Xinjiang.

A spokesperson for Hugo Boss said it expects partners across its supply chain to adhere to the company’s ethical standards, but following the United Nations’ report, the company decided to cut all of its Xinjiang cotton and materials. He did not respond to a question about whether a ban would be considered.

South Korea’s Fila and Japan’s Asics did not respond to inquiries.

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Businesses must conduct rigorous human rights risk assessments on all goods shipped from China, not just Xinjiang.

Justin Nolan, Professor, University of New South Wales

Enforcing the Xinjiang cotton ban has proven difficult given the complexity of the Xinjiang cotton supply chain. Some researchers believe there may be a concerted effort to further obfuscate the records by sending raw materials to intermediaries in neighboring countries. A German scientist recently discovered traces of Xinjiang cotton through molecular research on Adidas, Puma and Hugo his Boss apparel.

Professor Justin Nolan, a human rights expert at the University of New South Wales, said the UN report noted: He said Xinjiang workers could be forced to move to factories in other parts of China. This makes it more difficult for companies to avoid being associated with forced labor.

A United Nations report says companies should step up their human rights due diligence and report their findings. Companies in the security industry should consider whether their products could contribute to exploits in Xinjiang, he added.

“Companies must conduct rigorous human rights risk assessments on all goods coming out of China, not just Xinjiang,” Nolan said.

“Until broader access and independent verification of working conditions in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, businesses must now assume there is a rebuttable presumption that their supply chains are tainted with modern slavery. There is,” she added.

Abolition of Uyghur Forced Labor, a network of civil society and trade groups, said countries should instead ban imports of products made with Uyghur forced labor.

“Given the documented abuses, this can only be achieved by terminating business relationships with companies linked to the Uyghur region and the forced labor system,” said End Uyghur member Anti-Slavery Joanna Ewart James, executive director of the group Freedom United, said forced labor.

The group added that the UN report itself indicated that “reliable due diligence is not possible” in the region.

In June, the United States began banning imports involving groups from the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region for allegedly contributing to forced labor activities.The ban blocked textiles and solar panels. End Uyghur Forced Labor said companies should not re-export goods denied entry into the United States.

drawing flake

Foreign brands have drawn the ire of Chinese consumers for sidelining Xinjiang labor and materials in the past.

Swedish chain H&M made headlines early last year when Chinese celebrities and e-commerce companies cut ties with the brand over a pledge to stop sourcing Xinjiang cotton. A popular boycott saw his quarterly sales drop by more than 23% last May, and the brand only relisted last month on his Tmall, China’s largest online marketplace.

Other brands such as Nike and Burberry have also faced criticism for their public statements about Xinjiang.

The Better Cotton Initiative, a nonprofit that certifies the environmental and social standards of its commodities, was also in turmoil in 2020 over its suspension of its license in Xinjiang due to allegations of abuse in the region. it was done. Last year, the group’s Shanghai office said it found no evidence of forced labor in Xinjiang.

The Better Cotton Initiative did not respond to inquiries from ecobusinesses by the time of publication.

China replied that it was firmly opposed to the publication of the UN report. The Chinese government has reiterated its position that the vocational centers are not concentration camps as it battles “rampant” terrorism and extremism in Xinjiang.

Besides cotton, Xinjiang is rich in energy resources such as coal, gas, and lithium, an important mineral in electric vehicle batteries.