Burberry has lost a Chinese brand ambassador and its distinctive plaid design was stripped from a popular video game, as it was the first luxury brand to be hit by Chinese backers to western allegations of abuse there. the Xinjiang.
China on Friday cracked down on groups and individuals in the United Kingdom over what they called “lies and disinfection” about Xinjiang, days after Britain imposed sanctions for human rights abuses in area of western China.
Burberry is a member of the Better Cotton Initiative, an organization that promotes sustainable cotton production that in October said it was suspending the licensing of cotton sourced from Xinjiang, citing human rights concerns.
Award-winning Chinese actress Zhou Dongyu ended her contract with Burberry as the brand’s ambassador. Burberry had not “stood on cotton from Xinjiang to express it publicly and publicly”, her group said Thursday.
The company’s famous plaid design was also removed from the clothing worn by characters in Tencent’s popular video game, Honor of Kings, according to a post on the game’s official Weibo account, earning praise from China’s netizens.
Burberry China did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment. Burberry cotton is available from the United States, Australia, Turkey, India and Egypt, according to its website.
The backend – especially in social and traditional media – has also included major market brands such as H&M, Adidas and Nike that have previously expressed critical views about working conditions in Xinjiang, the largest region. is the largest cotton manufacturer in China.
UN rights activists and experts have been accused in China of using mass arrests, torture, forced labor and sterilizationations on Uighurs in Xinjiang. China denies the allegations and says its actions in the region are needed to counter terrorism.
In a letter to British MPs in November, Burberry said they had no work in Xinjiang or work with any suppliers based there, adding that it did not provide any form of modern-day slavery. among the providers, including forced, bonded or partial prison labor.
China’s clothing and apparel National Council in a statement on Friday urged international brands to stop “misconduct”, including a ban on cotton from Xinjiang in their supply chain, out of respect for consumers. -Purchase.
Hong Kong lawyer Regina Ip said she would stop buying Burberry.
“Burberry is one of my favorite brands. But I will stop buying Burberry products. I stand with my country in boycott companies that spread lies about Xinjiang, ”Ip wrote on her Twitter account.