Uniqlo boss says Japanese clothing giant doesn’t use Xinjiang cotton

[ad_1] TAIPEI, Taiwan – Japanese clothes big Uniqlo doesn't use cotton from China’s Xinjiang areas, the corporate’s boss stated in his first public declaration on the difficulty.

The worldwide trend retailer has been underneath intense scrutiny over its supply practices amid allegations of human rights violations within the provide chain and considerations over pressured labour in Xinjiang, which produces a number of the world’s finest cotton.

“We’re not utilizing [cotton from Xinjiang]”, Tadashi Yanai, chief government of Uniqlo’s mum or dad firm Quick Retailing, informed BBC on Thursday, breaking his silence on the availability of cloth for his model’s clothes.

“By mentioning which cotton we’re utilizing ... really, it will get too political if I say anymore, so let’s cease right here,” he stated, with out including additional particulars.

Firms that purchase items from Xinjiang, together with clothes and cotton, have come underneath stress from Western governments over the alleged genocide of the minority Uyghurs and Hui Muslims underneath Xi Jinping’s management prior to now decade.

<img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="A cotton picker works in a cotton field on Sept. 28, 2025 in Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region" class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/I5SFRNFFLNFFPJNWT53M67K4YQ.jpg?auth=6539173b5595758c43786be85fec0cfaec0448222e415a0b3608bfd007ea7a05&width=800&height=533" srcset="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/I5SFRNFFLNFFPJNWT53M67K4YQ.jpg?auth=6539173b5595758c43786be85fec0cfaec0448222e415a0b3608bfd007ea7a05&width=274&height=182 274w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/I5SFRNFFLNFFPJNWT53M67K4YQ.jpg?auth=6539173b5595758c43786be85fec0cfaec0448222e415a0b3608bfd007ea7a05&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/I5SFRNFFLNFFPJNWT53M67K4YQ.jpg?auth=6539173b5595758c43786be85fec0cfaec0448222e415a0b3608bfd007ea7a05&width=768&height=511 768w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/I5SFRNFFLNFFPJNWT53M67K4YQ.jpg?auth=6539173b5595758c43786be85fec0cfaec0448222e415a0b3608bfd007ea7a05&width=1024&height=682 1024w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/I5SFRNFFLNFFPJNWT53M67K4YQ.jpg?auth=6539173b5595758c43786be85fec0cfaec0448222e415a0b3608bfd007ea7a05&width=1440&height=959 1440w" width="800" height="533"/> uyghur-xinjiang-cotton A cotton picker works in a cotton discipline on Sept. 28, 2025 in Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Area (China Information Service by way of Getty Photographs) It prompted Western nations, led by the USA, to impose robust laws on the import of products from Xinjiang in 2022. A number of world manufacturers, corresponding to H&M and Nike, eliminated merchandise utilizing Xinjiang cotton from their cabinets, expressing concern for the alleged use of pressured labor.

Uniqlo had remained impartial “between the U.S. and China” over the Xinjiang row, though its mum or dad firm had claimed earlier than that the retail big didn't use any supplies linked to human rights violations.

China has repeatedly denied allegations of “crimes in opposition to humanity”, calling them the “lie of the century”.

A U.S. federal report printed in 2022 estimated that cotton from Xinjiang accounted for roughly 87% of China’s manufacturing and 23% of the worldwide provide in 2020 and 2021.

The Uniqlo boss’ remarks got here after German automaker Volkswagen stated Wednesday that it has offered its operations in Xinjiang.

Volkswagen has additionally been accused of permitting Uyghur slave labor at its joint-venture plant with Chinese language state-owned firm SAIC Motor Corp. in Urumqi, Xinjiang’s capital.

The corporate cited “financial causes” for its pullout from Xinjiang, dwelling to about 12 million predominantly Muslim Uyghurs, the place it additionally has a check observe in Turpan.