Date of publication: December 23, 2009
Source: ILRF Media Release
Author: ILRF
Hanesbrands was originally identified on the 2009 Sweatshop Hall of Shame [1]; however, in recent dialogue with the company, ILRF has come to believe that in fact Hanesbrands may be a leader in cotton traceability.
Company officials have assured ILRF staff that no Uzbek cotton is used in the production of their apparel. Moreover, unlike many other companies that have been praised for their public statements, Hanesbrands owns or is directly invested in the majority of its textile mills worldwide and, according to company officials, currently has in place auditing systems to verify the country of origin of all cotton used in Hanesbrands textiles. While no system is perfect, and no company can provide an airtight assurance against use of Uzbek cotton or of full human rights guarantees in its production chain, we believe Hanesbrands is committed to achieving the greatest possible integrity in guarding against the use of Uzbek cotton, and respect the company’s recent actions to investigate other possible rights infringements in its supply chain.