Companies across the US and Europe have taken a stand against forced child labor in the production of Uzbek cotton [1]. In addition some companies are working hard to develop clear traceability for cotton and other components of clothing. The demand for companies is pretty simple: issue a public statement indicating that your company will not buy cotton from Uzbekistan and that you’ll notify all of your suppliers of this commitment.
At the same time, there are also companies that continue to ignore this important issue. You can take action by encouraging the following companies to make a commitment to stop sourcing cotton riddled with child labor:
Aeropostale [2]
Forever 21 [3]
Toys R Us [4]
Urban Outfitters [5]
In addition to clothing retailers, there is a need for cotton traders in Dubai and other countries to send a strong message the Uzbek government.
Here is a list of companies that have made commitments to address forced child labor in Uzbekistan's cotton industry:
Abercrombie and Fitch
American Eagle Outfitters
Asda
Bed Bath & Beyond
C&A (statement [6])
Carter's (more information [7])
The Children's Place (more information [8])
Columbia Sportswear (statement [9])
Continental Clothing
Eddie Bauer (letter [10])
Eileen Fisher
Gap Inc. (statement [11]; company perspective [12])
Gymboree (more information [13])
Hanesbrands Inc. (ILRF statement [14])
JC Penney
Kohl's (statement [15])
Levi Strauss & Co.
Limited Brands
LL Bean (blog [16])
Marks and Spencer
Nike (statement [17])
Nordstrom
Phillips-Van Heusen Corp.
Target
Tesco (statement [18]; news coverage [19])
Timberland
TJ Maxx
Walmart (statement [20]; news coverage [21])
Walt Disney Co. (Statement [22])