Modern cotton slaves in 18 countries work for large textile companies and many are children
A recent investigation reveals that child exploitation and forced labor are being used to pick cotton on dozens of farms in India. This investigation adds to those in countries such as China, which is accused of enslaving ethnic minorities to provide this raw material to dozens of brands
“Ravi (a pseudonym) has worked since he was 10 years old. At the time of his interview, at age 45, poverty and illness had forced him to borrow money from his employer and work off his debt on a nine-acre cotton farm connected to the supply chain of Pratibha Syntex [one of the world’s largest textile manufacturers].” This is how an extensive report published in January by the NGO Transparentem opens, which was reported by the specialized media Business of Fashion. Between June 2022 and March 2023, several members of the organization investigated a total of 90 cotton farms in Madhya Pradesh, India, the second-largest producer of this raw material in the world. They then conducted up to 200 interviews with workers and farm owners. The results go beyond the horrific: almost half of the farms are exploited with forced labor (i.e. slaves), and many of them are children.
