Almost 39 well-known brands from the apparel industry such as H&M and Zara are at a high risk of souring materials, particularly PVC and cotton from the Uyghur Region using forced labor and state-imposed labor transfer programs.
At least four of China’s leading have ‘significant ties’ to the Uyghur region through sourcing, subsidiaries, and/or manufacturing, claims a report by researchers from the Helen Kennedy Centre for International Justice at Shaffield Hallam University (SHU) in the United Kingdom.
These companies are linked to various western brands producing allegedly forced labor-made goods that are ultimately sold in the Europe, adds the report.
The report alleges, EU lacks strict regulations to target forced labor-made goods, leading to a rapid increase in forced labor in recent years.
The report has gained significant attention from legislators, specifically in the United States, where the Department of Homeland Security and the Customs and Border Protection put heightened weight on SHU reports when implementing the UFLPA.
