To respond to Western criticism of forced labor in Xinjiang province, China has developed its own ‘sustainable’ cotton certification scheme. Through this move, China aims to offset the supremacy of Western countries and develop a self-sustaining, independent standard and certification system,

For this, the China Cotton Association (CCA) has launched a new body, the Cotton China Sustainable Development Program. The organization aims to combat the use of forced labor by imprisoned Uyghur Muslims in the region that supplies one-fifth of the world’s cotton. In recent months, China has seen a political and consumer reaction in response to publicly expressed concerns about the exploitation of forced labor by companies and the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI).

The Cotton China Sustainable Development Program seeks to encourage sustainable cotton production while decreasing reliance on Western standards. It would give China a considerable say in worldwide pricing and standard-setting.

On its part, the BCI aims to collaborate with the textile supply chain and brands to create a sustainable cotton industrial chain spanning production, textile and clothing manufacture, and brand sales.