One theory is that it is because of the ramp-up in political brinkmanship between China and the West. So if this has been an issue for over a year, why is everyone in China freaking out now? The supply chain is so convoluted and subcontracting so common that often it’s hard for brands themselves to know exactly where and how every component of their garments is made. That’s a lot! How do I know if I am wearing a garment made from Xinjiang cotton? In January, the Trump administration banned all imports of cotton from the region, as well as products made from the material and declared what was happening “ genocide.” At the time, the Workers Rights Consortium estimated that material from Xinjiang was involved in more than 1.5 billion garments imported annually by American brands and retailers. This has resulted in draconian restrictions, surveillance, criminal prosecutions and forced-labor camps. Though it is officially the largest of China’s five autonomous regions, which in theory means it has more legislative self-control, the central government has been increasingly involved in the area, saying it must exert its authority because of local conflicts with the Han Chinese (the ethnic majority) who have been moving into the region. It is home to many ethnic groups, especially the Uyghurs, a Muslim minority. Xinjiang is a region in northwest China that happens to produce about a fifth of the world’s cotton. Tell me more about Xinjiang and why it is so important. This is a perfect case study of what happens when market imperatives come up against global morality. Fashion has become a diplomatic football.
Then, too, international politicians are getting in on the act, imposing bans and sanctions.
One the other, China has become an evermore important sales hub to the fashion industry, given its scale and the fact that there is less disruption there than in other key markets, like Europe. On the one hand, as the pandemic continues to roil global retail, consumers have become more attuned to who makes their clothes and how they are treated, putting pressure on brands to put their values where their products are. The issue has growing political and economic implications.
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