Cotton

Cotton is a soft, fluffy, and fibrous natural fiber obtained from the seedpod of the cotton plant. Cotton is widely used in textile production and is one of the most important cash crops in the world. Cotton has many desirable qualities, such as breathability, durability, and absorbency, which make it suitable for various applications, such as clothing, bedding, and towels. However, cotton production has been linked to environmental and social issues, such as water scarcity, land degradation, and forced labor. Some initiatives have been put in place to address these issues, such as sustainable cotton production practices and fair trade initiatives.

 

Your Monday Briefing: A ‘Toothless’ Trip to Xinjiang – The New York Times
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Your Monday Briefing: A ‘Toothless’ Trip to Xinjiang – The New York Times

ByEyes on Trafficking News

The U.N.’s top human rights official cozied up to Beijing on a trip to China. Good morning. We’re covering the U.N. human rights chief’s trip to China, India’s expanded protections for sex workers and Ukraine’s offensive in Kherson.  Police officers patrolling in Xinjiang last year.Thomas Peter/Reuters U.N.’s tempered criticism of China The United Nations’ top…

The historic elimination of state-imposed forced labour in Uzbekistan: decent work must now be protected
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The historic elimination of state-imposed forced labour in Uzbekistan: decent work must now be protected

ByEyes on Trafficking News

Today, 10 March 2022, Anti-Slavery International, together with the Cotton Campaign, celebrates the historic achievement of the elimination of state-imposed forced labour in the 2021 Uzbek cotton harvest. For almost 15 years, the Cotton Campaign, a coalition of international human and labour rights NGOs, independent trade unions, brand and retail associations and others, of which…

16 Ethical Brands We Love
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16 Ethical Brands We Love

ByEyes on Trafficking News

It’s no secret that the clothing and textile industries often utilize forced labor, human trafficking victims, and unfair working conditions to keep costs low and profit margins high. When the demand for cheap clothing is high, many large companies will compromise worker safety to satisfy this demand. Oftentimes, this means outsourcing the manufacturing to countries…

Forced Prison Labor in China: Hiding in Plain Sight
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Forced Prison Labor in China: Hiding in Plain Sight

ByEyes on Trafficking News

Ancient Mogilev, a former city of the medieval Duchy of Lithuania and now part of Belarus close to the border with Russia, cradled along the River Dnieper, is a most unlikely spot for an interview about forced prison labor in China. But this is the home to which Dima Siakatsky returned after his release from…

New Bill Against Forced Labor in China Offers Promising Development in Tariff Act Enforcement
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New Bill Against Forced Labor in China Offers Promising Development in Tariff Act Enforcement

ByEyes on Trafficking News

Author: Sarah Murray | originally posted on Human Trafficking Institute’s website, Aug 27, 2021 Introduction Over the past four years, the People’s Republic of China has forced at least one million Uyghurs,[1] who are mostly Muslim, and members of other ethnic and religious minorities into internment camps in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (“Xinjiang”), a…