Converse is a subsidiary of Nike, which has been named in several investigations as potentially having Uyghur forced labour within its supply chain.
In March 2021, when Nike released a statement regarding its alleged connections to forced labour in Xinjiang, both Nike and Converse experienced a backlash in China, with several high-profile Chinese celebrities ending their endorsement deals with Converse.
Last week, calls for the cancellation of H&M and other Western brands went out across Chinese social media as human rights campaigns collided with cotton sourcing and political gamesmanship. Here's what you need to know about what's going on and how it may affect everything from your T-shirts to your trench coats.
The number of fashion brands caught in the crossfires of a heavy political storm in China over Xinjiang cotton is ballooning quickly. Foreign firms that have previously stated their concerns about cotton imports from the region are having their goods dragged down from online marketplaces in China because of it.