Uniqlo shirts blocked at U.S. border in January on China forced labour concern

Reuters

Published May 19, 2021 01:48AM ET

Updated May 19, 2021 09:15AM ET

TOKYO (Reuters) -Fast Retailing Co Ltd's Uniqlo brand shirts were blocked at the United States border in January on concerns they violated a ban on cotton products produced in the Xinjiang region of China, where there have been reports of forced labour.

A U.S. Customs document dated May 10 said a shipment of Uniqlo men's shirts was impounded on Jan. 5 at the Port of Los Angeles due to a suspected violation of the ban. The document said a protest filed by Uniqlo's parent company was denied.

Fast Retailing said it was disappointed by the U.S. Customs ruling.

"Uniqlo has strong mechanisms in place to identify any potential violations of human and worker rights," the company said in a statement to Reuters. "All Uniqlo items use only cotton that originates from sustainable sources."