Defend the Uigures or sell in China, the dilemma of the Western textile industry
Conminated by China to deny the Uigur cause, large marks of clothing are facing a complicated dilemma: how to satisfy the most demanding western consumers about ethics without closing the doors to the second Chinese economic power?
"This pulse is Kafkiano.It is the first time that the reactions in China are simultaneous, among the League of Communist Youth (affiliated with the party in the power that promotes the boycott campaign), the online sales platforms, the consumers and the influencers, "summarizesThe AFP Eric Briones, co -founder of the Paris School of Luxury School.
The cause of the conflict is cotton: 20% of world production comes from China, mainly from the province of Xinjiang, a majorChinese.
La semana pasada, tras las sanciones del Reino Unido, la Unión Europea, Estados Unidos y Canadá contra China por el trato que dispensa a los uigures, en la red social china Weibo se recordaron los compromisos adoptados en 2020 por varios gigantes de la industria textil, como H&M, Nike o Uniqlo, de no comprar algodón de Xinjiang.
Fue el punto de partida de una campaña de llamados al boicot contra Nike, H&M, Adidas y Zara, entre otros.
Some products from these chains have been removed from the main online sales platforms.At the same time, actors or singers announced that they will no longer be an image ambassadors of these Western groups.
"If you are a compromised brand and decide to step back, you lose all credibility.And if you keep your position, you deprive yourself of the Chinese market that is the lung of the world economy, "says Eric Briones.
"But if these brands need China, China needs them?" Asks this expert, who quotes Nike's example whose quarterly sales grew 51% in the Asian giant and only rise 3% worldwide.
Crucial for luxury, the Chinese market is also for low price fashion, the so -called "Fast Fashion", and Sportswear.
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Nike and Adidas sportswear is sold in thousands of stores in the country.The American group made last year in the "Gran China" (Hong Kong and Macao included) 18% of its annual business volume.
- "Intimidation" -
China es el cuarto mercado para el gigante sueco H&M, donde ha abierto más de 500 tiendas y ha registrado cerca de 280 millones de euros de ventas en el último trimestre de 2020.Its competitor, the Spanish Inditex, Zara Matrix House, has 337 stores in the country.
"China has surprised everyone with this pulse: this shows that international political pressure begins to bear fruit.It is clear that it is an intimidation to see how far the brands are able to arrive, "says Nayla Ajaltouni, coordinator of the ethical collective on the label.
Ajaltouni is the representative in France of the International Coalition End Forced Labour in the Uyghur Region (put an end to forced labor in the Uigur region) that groups 180 NGOs and unions and asks in a statement to the brands that "do not change theirprinciples on human rights for conserving a commercial advantage ".
According to this coalition, after the calls to the Chinese boycott, some brands have "reversed" in their commitments on forced labor, withdrawing press releases or modifying their positions, as Inditex that has stopped specifically mentioning Xinjiang in its principles of"Zero tolerance" that appear on its website, ensures the AFP coalition.
Aunque H&M ha declarado que no apoya "ninguna posición política", la mayoría de las marcas están silenciosas, esperando a que escampe.One of the few that has taken sides has been the Italian OVS clothing chain (1.750 stores).On Friday, he will stop buying Xinjiang cotton and urged other brands to "not give to the pressures and choose their field: human rights or commercial interests".
"You have to keep calm, since this boycott is for the digital moment and physical stores are open," says expert Eric Briones.
Briones recalls that "at the moment, this does not affect luxury and only the 'Fast Fashion' and Sportswear, sectors where Chinese brands are increasingly thriving.Some, like Anta or Ning, have increased in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange ", reaching their maximum price for a month.
© 2021 AFP