Using Isotopic testing, the US customs has found traces of cotton linked to China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, footwear, and apparels imported from China.
The US introduced the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act in June 2022 to ensure American entities are not funding forced labour among ethnic minorities in the region.
Media reports stated that these figures were collected from documents obtained from the Freedom of Information Act and this is the first time such results have been published.
Isotopic testing can link cotton to specific geographical regions by analysing for traces of stable elements like carbon and hydrogen present in the cotton crop as well as the environment in the region.
The documents revealed that about 10 of the 38 garments checked were found to have traces of cotton grown in Xinjiang Uygur.
Of the total tests done by the US customs, 28 percent were linked to Xinjiang cotton and included jeans, t-shirts, innerwear, baby dresses, and many such garments.
Various US garment brands and retailers are also doing isotopic testing to ensure that cotton apparel imported from China does not contain Xinjiang cotton.
Experts question the antecedents of the huge quantity of Chinese textiles and apparel exports since cotton grown in Xinjiang Uygur region accounts for 90 percent of China’s cotton production.
Bangladesh and Vietnam which also export huge quantities of garments to the US also import cotton fabrics from China to manufacture these clothing.
US customs find traces of China’s Xinjiang Uygur cotton in garments
