Researchers at the Agroisolab in Jülich and the Hochschule Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, in western Germany, have accused sportswear brands Puma and Adidas of using Xinjiang cotton in their T-shirts. It has also accused Hugo Boss and German Outdoor wear brand Jack Wolfskin of making shirts using Xinjiang cotton while fashion company Tom Tailor has been accused of launching a pullover made from it.

As the Guardian, the US banned cotton imports from the autonomous region in north-west China last year. Several large western clothes brands and fashion brands also banned the use of Xinjiang cotton in their collection. In October 2021, Hugo Boss claimed all new collections are being developed in accordance with global standards. In 2020, Puma refused having any direct or indirect business relations with manufacturers in Xinjiang. In the same year, Adidas also refused having contractual relationship with any Xinjiang supplier.