uzbek cotton - retailer responses

Forced child labour in Uzbekistan’s cotton industry: Which retailers should I write to?

Below are just some of the responses we have received so far from retailers in the UK regarding the use of forced child labour in Uzbekistan’s cotton industry. If you choose to write to any of these retail chains then you can tailor your letter accordingly with details of what further action they need to take. However, we would encourage you not only to write to those listed but to write to the Chief Executive of any of your favourite retailers to engage even more of them on this issue.

Some retailers such as Wal-Mart (Asda), Tesco, GAP, Nike and Marks & Spencer, amongst others, have already taken action to ban Uzbek cotton from their products. However, many have yet to make this commitment. In particular, recent investigations have linked clothes made by high-street chains Zara & H&M to cotton from Uzbekistan.

Please send us copies of any responses you receive to g.wolfes@antislavery.org.

• Zara have not responded to the recent allegations. Please ask Zara to commit to not use Uzbek cotton in its products and ensure this ban is clearly communicated and implemented throughout their supply chains.
• H&M seeks to avoid cotton from Uzbekistan. Ten of their suppliers who have their own spinning mills and source their own raw cotton have confirmed that they do not buy cotton from Uzbekistan. H&M states that it is in dialogue with its suppliers based in Bangladesh where a significant portion of Uzbek cotton is destined. H&M is currently investigating methods to trace the origin of cotton. Please ask H&M to implement a ban on the use of Uzbek cotton and introduce a traceability mechanism to ensure it is fully implemented.
• Monsoon asked its suppliers to remove Uzbek cotton from their products and cease sourcing cotton from Uzbekistan in December 2007. Please ask Monsoon how it verifies that its ban on Uzbek cotton is implemented.
• Sainsbury's bans the use of Uzbek cotton in its garments. Sainsbury's has asked its suppliers to ensure they do not use Uzbek cotton. Please ask how they ensure their suppliers are meeting their commitments.
• Next bans the use of Uzbek cotton in its products. Next works closely with suppliers who experience difficulty in complying with this requirement. Please ask how it ensures the ban is implemented.
• Matalan has committed to not use any supplier that supplies products made from Uzbek cotton. Please ask Matalan how it ensures that suppliers continue not to use Uzbek cotton.
• BHS issues guidelines on labour practices to its suppliers. Please ask BHS how it ensures that suppliers are not using Uzbek cotton picked by forced labour and to commit to not using Uzbek cotton.
• Arcadia Group (includes TopShop, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins) has instructed its suppliers to source cotton from countries that do not use child labour. Please ask Arcadia Group to commit to not using Uzbek cotton in its products.
• Charles Tyrwhitt confirms that its suppliers do not use Uzbek cotton. Please ask Charles Tyrwhitt to commit to not using Uzbek cotton and ask how it ensures that its suppliers continue to avoid using Uzbek cotton.
• M&S bans the use of Uzbek cotton in its products. M&S' garment suppliers have been instructed not to purchase any fabric that contains Uzbek cotton. Their fabric mills must indicate where they are purchasing cotton from before M&S goes ahead with production. M&S has a regional supplier team who verifies that Uzbek cotton is not used in its products.
• Tesco does not accept the use of Uzbek cotton in its clothing. It requires suppliers to identify the source of raw cotton and randomly audits records to ensure these requirements are met. Tesco is developing and implementing a traceability system to monitor cotton country of origin and provide greater transparency.