Uniqlo is facing an online backlash in China after the head of its parent company stated that the Japanese fashion giant does not use cotton from Xinjiang.
In a BBC interview this week, Tadashi Yanai, CEO of Fast Retailing, declared that Uniqlo does not source cotton from the western Chinese province.
The statement quickly caught the attention of Chinese commentators who called for a boycott of the clothing retailer.
The sourcing of cotton from Xinjiang is contentious due to allegations that China employs forced labor involving the Muslim Uyghur minority in its production, claims which Beijing has consistently denied.
After the interview aired on the BBC, calls for boycotting Uniqlo spread on the social media platform Weibo.
Posts under hashtags like “Controversy over Uniqlo founder’s remarks” reached millions of viewers.
Other trending hashtags included “Xinjiang cotton is the best in the world,” “I support Xinjiang cotton,” and “Uniqlo’s results in China see a slump.”
A social media user expressed, “With this kind of attitude from Uniqlo, and their founder being so arrogant, they’re probably betting that mainland consumers will forget about it in a few days and continue to buy. So, can we stand firm this time?”
This online uproar followed Yanai’s comment to the BBC that Uniqlo is “not using [cotton from Xinjiang].”
He added, “By mentioning which cotton we’re using…,” but then paused and concluded, “Actually, it gets too political if I say anymore, so let’s stop here.”
China remains a critical market and manufacturing base for Uniqlo. Despite repeated denials from Beijing, accusations of forced labor by groups including the US government persist.
Since June 2022, companies have been required to verify that their imports into the US are not produced using forced labor.
Major e-commerce platforms in China removed Sweden’s H&M clothing from their listings after the company declined to use cotton sourced from Xinjiang.
Several international brands like Nike, Burberry, Esprit, and Adidas faced boycotts after being embroiled in similar controversies.
Uniqlo managed to stay clear of these disputes initially because Mr. Yanai refrained from taking a clear position.
Western companies continue to find themselves in the midst of these contentious issues.
Recently, China’s commerce ministry initiated a probe into PVH, the parent company of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, accusing it of unjustly boycotting Xinjiang cotton and other products.
PVH has announced it will comply with all applicable laws and regulations in response, as reported by the media.
