The entities in question have been implicated in using forced labour practices in the production and sale of cotton and cotton products and are banned from exporting to the US.
These 26 cotton companies join the latest addition of companies to the UFLPA Entity List, marking the largest single expansion so far.
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On 14 January, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under the auspices of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF), augmented the UFLPA Entity List with the addition of 37 People’s Republic of China (PRC) based firms.
Huafu Fashion, known for its comprehensive vertical integration, allegedly oversees a supply chain that encompasses cotton cultivation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), as well as subsequent processing and textile production phases.
Of these implicated subsidiaries, 22 are situated within XUAR itself, while three are established in Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province.
The FLETF’s decision to include these entities in the cotton sector on the UFLPA Entity List is said to be based on credible evidence suggesting their reliance on cotton or cotton-derived products sourced from XUAR. This determination is further substantiated by corroborative information accessible in the public domain.
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By GlobalDataHuafu Fashion and Ninghai Huafu Textile had not responded to Just Style’s request for comment, while the other 24 cotton subsidiaries could not be reached.
Other newly added entities include manufacturers of inputs for solar modules, featuring polysilicon produced in Xinjiang.
This latest enforcement action brings the total number of entities listed under the UFLPA to 144 since the law’s enactment three years ago.
DHS policy acting under secretary Robert Paschall said: “With each addition to the UFLPA Entity List, we are building momentum and showing that our efforts are sustainable and enduring in eradicating forced labour in our nation’s supply chains. This largest-ever batch of additions reinforces that we are implementing the full force of this law, making impactful updates to the UFLPA Entity List, and enhancing US Customs and Border Protection’s enforcement capabilities.”
Effective from 15 January 2025, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has invoked a rebuttable presumption that goods produced by these newly listed 37 entities will be barred from entry into the US.
This presumption arises from allegations of either procuring materials from XUAR or collaborating with Xinjiang authorities to orchestrate the movement or employment of Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, or other oppressed groups outside XUAR.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said: “In adding 37 companies to the UFLPA Entities List and bringing the total to nearly 150, we again demonstrate our relentless fight against the cruelty of forced labour, our unwavering commitment to basic human rights, and our tireless defence of a free, fair, and competitive market.”
In November last year, DHS added Hong Kong apparel maker Esquel Group and its factories to the UFLPA Entity List.
