Forced Labour

A new report from Cotton Campaign pulls no punches: despite minor cosmetic changes, Turkmenistan’s cotton industry continues to thrive on state-imposed forced labour. The 2024 harvest, as documented in a forensic 30-page investigation, lays bare the coercive machinery that feeds global textile supply chains—right from the fields of Central Asia to factory floors in Türkiye, Pakistan, Italy, and beyond.

Most environmental issues in the cotton industry are being discussed and addressed, but the question remains: is enough being done? Award-winning innovation and sustainability leader, Michela Puddu, touches on a diverse range of subjects, from the cotton production and recycling landscape to its huge and fragmented supply chain, the role of standards & certifications, traceability, impact of global climate change, water challenges, livelihoods and more.

The road to widespread adoption of conflict-free cotton won’t be easy, but it’s a path being paved by a mix of legislative action, corporate responsibility, and consumer demand. While much remains to be done, the progress made so far is promising. Continued collaboration between governments, corporations, and consumers is imperative to ensure conflict-free cotton becomes a reality.

A labour watchdog has provided first-hand evidence of forced labour in the 2022 cotton harvest in Turkmenistan and called for comprehensive reforms to end forced labour and create a broader enabling environment for labour rights.