Cotton produced by forced labor, documented in at least nine countries, makes its way into clothing and home goods sold by major brands and retailers. It is an open secret that the garment and textile supply chain is rife with forced labor and other human rights abuses.

The Responsible Sourcing Network has launched an initiative to eradicate modern slavery in cotton harvesting and yarn production by enabling yarn spinners to identify and eliminate cotton produced with forced labor. The initiative has received the support of brands and retailers such as Adidas, Hudson’s Bay Co, and Woolworths Holdings, which have acknowledged that it is important for companies to work together to create and advance an international ethical and sustainable cotton value chain.

This program will pilot in India and Bangladesh, which have numerous spinning mills and are highly affected by forced labor. It identifies a gap in transparency between where forced labor occurs in the cotton fields and the facilities in which different cottons are blended together. The aim is to close this gap by focusing on yarn spinning mills in the supply chain and establishing a training, assessment, and verification process. Identifying and addressing the forced and bonded labor of young women in spinning mills in southern India will also be incorporated into this initiative.