Still stitched with suffering: how Uyghur forced labour taints global fashion

A report from December 2023 called ​“Tailoring Responsibility Report: Tracing Apparel Supply Chains from the Uyghur Region to Europe” offers a dystopian glimpse into the intentionally intricate business structures and terrifying ties between European fashion markets and the forced labour of Uyghurs, North Korean refugees and other minorities in China.

This joint effort involving the Uyghur Rights Monitor, the Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice at Sheffield Hallam University, and the Uyghur Center for Democracy and Human Rights has uncovered that a significant amount of clothing, compromised by the systematic forced labour of Uyghurs, amongst other vulnerable minorities, is entering the European Union without any limitations.

Major Chinese Suppliers Exposed: A Deep Dive into Systematic Fundamental Human Rights Abuses

The report, focusing on four major Chinese suppliers—Zhejiang Sunrise Garment Group, Beijing Guanghua Textile Group, Anhui Huamao Group, and Xinjiang Zhongtai Group—reveals ongoing systematic ideological training, surveillance, forced relocation and labour, amongst numerous other human rights breaches.

This report is a critical and kaleidoscopical window into the systematic oppression leveraged against Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, North Koreans and other minoritised citizens in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). The PRC government’s use of forced labour is not an isolated instance of exploitation. Instead, maze-like subsidiary and cross-ownership structures aim to cloak government-funded repression, characterised by forced migration, cultural erasure, and intensive surveillance.

The Uyghur forced labour system operates through three primary mechanisms: forced labour transfers, labour in internment camps, and prison labour. The scale of these programs is staggering, with millions of people subjected to this oppressive apparatus. The PRC’s approach is not merely exploitative but culturally genocidal. It aims to dismantle the cultural and communal bonds that define the Uyghur people.
 

EU Fashion Brands: Unwitting Accomplices in Uyghur Forced Labour

The European Union’s supply chains, top brands and our wardrobes are deeply implicated in this human rights crisis. EU-based companies, including numerous luxury brands like Prada, Ralph Lauren or Max Mara, and high-street favourites like Zara, Massimo Dutti and Mango, are directly tied to forced labour through their suppliers. Despite claims of due diligence, these connections persist. This is mainly due to the political and regulatory environment in the region that makes meaningful audits impossible. However, this is industry-wide knowledge.

Recent Changes in Forced Labour Regulations: The US and EU’s Response to Uyghur Forced Labour

In 2024 and 2025, both the European Union and the United States have intensified efforts to eliminate forced labour from global supply chains, particularly targeting Uyghur forced labour in China’s Xinjiang region. While the US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) has been in force since 2022, the EU’s Forced Labour Regulation (FLR) was officially adopted in 2024 and will become fully enforceable by 2027. These measures reflect a growing global crackdown on forced labour, impacting businesses worldwide.

Key Changes in the US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA)

The UFLPA has expanded significantly in 2024 and 2025, adding 37 new companies to its forced labour Entity List—the largest single expansion to date. Among these are several textile companies, reinforcing the US government’s focus on Xinjiang-sourced cotton. Starting January 15, 2025, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will presume that goods from these companies were made with forced labour and will block them from entering the US market unless importers provide clear and convincing evidence proving otherwise.

This expansion includes Huafu Fashion and its 25 subsidiaries, a major Chinese textile company implicated in forced labour. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF), has determined that Huafu and other textile manufacturers have direct ties to coercive labour schemes in Xinjiang.

These enforcement actions place an increasing burden on companies importing goods into the US. Businesses must thoroughly document supply chains, obtain supplier affidavits, and ensure that any cotton or textile-related imports do not originate from banned entities.

Key Changes in the EU Forced Labour Regulation

The EU’s Forced Labour Regulation (FLR), published on December 12, 2024, introduces a broad ban on products made with forced labour—applying to all industries and all countries, not just Xinjiang. Unlike the UFLPA, which automatically assumes forced labour in Xinjiang-linked products, the EU regulation requires investigations before banning goods.

A major component of this regulation is the creation of a forced labour risk database, which will help identify high-risk products and geographic regions. Investigations will be risk-based, with EU Member States handling domestic cases, while the European Commission will focus on forced labour occurring outside the EU. If a product is found to be made using forced labour, it will be banned across all EU member states.

While the regulation does not impose new due diligence obligations, it expects businesses to align with existing EU supply chain laws, such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). The full enforcement of the regulation will begin by Q4 2027, giving companies time to adjust their sourcing and compliance strategies.

Impact on Textile and Apparel Companies

The textile industry remains a primary focus in the fight against forced labour, with both the EU and US measures targeting Xinjiang’s cotton industry. The US UFLPA’s expanded Entity List in 2024 – 2025 now includes major textile manufacturers, making it increasingly difficult for companies to source cotton without facing trade restrictions.

The following textile and apparel companies have been added to the UFLPA Entity List, effectively banning their exports to the US:

• Aksu Huafu Color Spinning Co., Ltd. (also known as Aksu Huafu Textiles Co., Ltd.; Akesu Huafu; Aksu Huafu Dyed Melange Yarn; and Akesu Huafu Melange Yarn Co., Ltd.) – Effective January 15, 2025
• Anhui Xinya New Materials Co., Ltd. (formerly known as Chaohu Youngor Color Spinning Technology Co., Ltd.; and Chaohu Xinya Color Spinning Technology Co., Ltd.) – Effective December 11, 2023
• Nanjing Synergy Textiles Co., Ltd. (including two aliases: Nanjing Xinyi Cotton Textile Printing and Dyeing; and Nanjing Xinyi Cotton Textile) – Effective June 21, 2022
• Xinjiang Tianmian Foundation Textile Co., Ltd. – Effective September 27, 2023
• Xinjiang Tianshan Wool Textile Co. Ltd. – Effective September 27, 2023

For textile companies operating in or sourcing from China, particularly Xinjiang, these regulations create significant compliance challenges. US importers must prove their goods are free from forced labour, while companies exporting to the EU must prepare for risk-based investigations.

How Companies Can Prepare

To comply with both the US and EU regulations, businesses should:

• Audit supply chains—identify any sourcing risks, especially in high-risk regions.
• Collect documentation—supplier affidavits, invoices, and transport records proving ethical sourcing.
• Monitor trade restrictions—track updates to the UFLPA Entity List and the EU’s upcoming risk database. 
• Explore alternative sourcing—move away from Xinjiang-linked cotton and textile suppliers.
• Implement digital traceability solutions—use blockchain and AI-based tools to track product origins.
• Stay updated on enforcement trends—both regulations will likely expand over time, affecting more industries.

Final Thoughts

The recent changes in the UFLPA (2024−2025) and the introduction of the EU Forced Labour Regulation (2024) signal a global shift towards stricter enforcement against forced labour. While the US takes a strict ​“guilty until proven innocent” approach, the EU focuses on investigations and risk assessments.

For companies in textiles, electronics, agriculture, and other high-risk sectors, these regulations demand increased transparency, stronger compliance efforts, and proactive supply chain management. By acting now, businesses can mitigate risks, avoid trade disruptions, and align with international human rights standards.

As a global leader in advocating for human rights and sustainability, the EU must rise to the challenge and ensure that its markets and our closets do not become a haven for products borne of oppression and suffering. 

Taking matters into your own hands

As consumers, we can add pressure by creating awareness and signalling our outrage to ensure the issue is not swept under the rug. The Uyghur Human Rights Project presents eight impactful steps that individuals can undertake to actively contribute to ending the continuous exploitation and repression of the Uyghur diaspora.

To help consumers make more ethical purchasing decisions, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has developed the Uyghur Forced Labor Checker, a Google Chrome extension that identifies fashion brands potentially linked to Uyghur forced labour. This tool works by scanning websites as users shop online and generating pop-up alerts if a brand is listed by the Coalition to End Uyghur Forced Labour. By providing real-time warnings, the extension empowers consumers to avoid brands that may be complicit in forced labour practices in Xinjiang, where millions of Uyghurs and other Turkic minority groups have been subjected to state-sponsored exploitation. With the fashion industry being heavily affected, this tool serves as a practical and accessible way for shoppers to support human rights by choosing brands that prioritise ethical sourcing. HRF’s initiative highlights the importance of transparency in supply chains and encourages consumers to hold companies accountable for their role in forced labour.

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