Global retailers are facing scrutiny over cotton supplies sourced from Xinjiang, a Chinese region plagued by allegations of human rights abuses. China is one of the world’s top cotton producers and most of its crop is grown in Xinjiang.

H&M, Esprit and Adidas are among the firms said to be at the end of supply chains involving cotton products from Xinjiang. The Xinjiang region is a key hub of Chinese cotton production. China produces about 22 per cent of global cotton supplies. Last year, 84 per cent of Chinese cotton came from Xinjiang. That has raised concerns over whether forced labor has been used in the production of cotton from the region. In many cases western companies aren’t buying directly from factories in Xinjiang. Rather, the products go through several stages of transformation after leaving Xinjiang before they are sent to large western brands. H&M does not have a direct or indirect business relationship with any garment manufacturer in the Xinjiang region. It has an indirect business relationship with Huafu’s spinning unit in Shanyu, which is not located in the Xinjiang region. Since it has an indirect business relationship with the yarn supplier Huafu, it has also asked for access to its spinning facilities in Aksu.