A probe has revealed that cotton linked to forced labour in China’s Xinjiang region is still entering Europe via factories in Bangladesh. These factories, supplied by Esquel Group and Jiangsu Lianfa, serve major Irish retailers like Tesco and Penneys
An investigation has uncovered that cotton tied to forced labour in China’s Xinjiang region continues to seep into European markets, despite years of corporate promises to end unethical sourcing. The report found that at least 15 factories in Bangladesh have imported hundreds of tonnes of cotton from two Chinese textile giants, Esquel Group and Jiangsu Lianfa Textiles, both of which are linked to Beijing’s forced labour schemes. These factories supply major Irish retailers, including Tesco and Penneys, as reported by University Times.
According to University Times, Esquel Group and Jiangsu Lianfa maintain extensive operations in Xinjiang, which produces nearly a third of the world’s cotton. The region, however, is infamous for the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of the Uyghur Muslim minority.
2022 report on human rights violations in China
A 2022 United Nations report accused China of committing severe human rights violations in Xinjiang, including torture, rape, forced abortions, and sterilisation acts that amount to crimes against humanity. Footage showing Uyghur labourers working at Esquel and Jiangsu Lianfa facilities as recently as December 2024, challenging multinational retailers’ claims of transparent and ethical supply chains. Despite pledges by companies like Tesco, Penneys, and Marks & Spencer to stop sourcing from Xinjiang, systemic loopholes and weak certification systems have allowed untraceable cotton to flood their production lines.
One certification body, BetterCotton, admitted that its “mass balance” system, widely used by global retailers, cannot ensure the cotton’s origin. A former BetterCotton employee stated that the system could easily include cotton from Xinjiang, undermining corporate assurances of clean sourcing. Scientific testing methods used by brands such as Penneys and Marks & Spencer have also come under scrutiny. Dr Len Wassenaar, a leading expert in isotopic testing, explained that blending cotton from different regions renders the results meaningless, making it nearly impossible to trace origins accurately, as cited by University Times.
Irish Labour spokesperson Senator Nessa Cosgrove urged the government to act, stressing that “no worker’s suffering should be woven into our clothes.” The Labour Party is now pushing for its Exploitation and Trafficking Bill, which would compel companies to publicly demonstrate their commitment to eradicating forced labour. The investigation has reignited pressure on European retailers and governments to confront China’s exploitation-driven cotton trade and take decisive action to ensure ethical sourcing, as reported by University Times.