Xinjiang cotton reaching fashion supply chains

SHEFFIELD – Banned cotton from Xinjiang in China is still making its way into global fashion supply chains and final garments, a new report from the UK claims. Researchers mapped out how cotton makes its way from Xinjiang to garments through an “opaque web of suppliers.” The study found more than half of China’s exported cotton goes to countries in Asia, including Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia, where it is made into clothing for further export to the rest of the world. China’s Xinjiang cotton is banned in the US, and Xinjiang cotton-related cases accounted for the majority of US Customs and Border Protection detentions for forced labour in the last year. More than 1,400 containers are currently detained at the US ports, with an estimated value of upwards of US$1m each for those containing apparel and textiles.