The risk of forced labour in the value chains of cotton products from apparel to home furnishings exists at all production stages, from cotton picking to final manufacturing processes: it is estimated that one in five cotton garments on the global marketplace is connected to forced labour of Uyghur workers at some stage of its production process. Uyghur support groups have noted that it is effectively impossible for companies to carry out due diligence in the region due to restricted access to factories and workers and a lack of relevant documentary proof of actual labour conditions.
