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Supply Chain Characteristics that Impact Traceability

Traceability Takeaways

Nature of Labor Rights Risk/Vulnerable Workers

Forced Labor or Trafficking in Persons cited by U.S. Government

Child Labor cited by U.S. Government

Risk of Forced Labor or Trafficking in Persons cited by other source

Risk of Child Labor cited by other source

Documented presence of migrant workers

Documented presence of other vulnerable workers

Documented presence or significant likelihood of third-party labor recruiters

Features of Production and Supply Chain

Large numbers of dispersed, unorganized, or informal small producers or other worksites

Multiple points of aggregation, co-mingling, and/or transformation across supply chain

Complex/opaque supply chains and/or lack of vertical integration

High degree of flexibility in procurement practices of downstream entities

Distribution of Labor Risk in Various Production Areas

Scale or nature of risk varies significantly based on geographic area of production

Scale or nature of risk is strongly associated with certain types of suppliers/entities

Scale or nature of risk is present across multiple tiers or nodes of supply chain (including in associated downstream or upstream goods)

Linked Upstream and Downstream Risks

Risk in Nodes in Thread/Yarn Production

Following the ginning stage of cotton production, cotton lint is transferred to thread production and spinning mills.29Seeds of Oppression, ARISA and Centre for Labour Research and Action (CLRA), July 2021,  arisa.nl/wp-content/uploads/SeedsOfOppression.pdf Spinning transforms the lint fibers into thread and yarn.30Child Labour in Cotton – A briefing, International Labour Organization, 2016, www.ilo.org/ipecinfo/product/download.do?type=document&id=29655.   This process involves the cleaning, blending, and twisting together of fibers, followed by the coiling of yarn.31Child Labour in Cotton – A briefing, International Labour Organization, 2016, www.ilo.org/ipecinfo/product/download.do?type=document&id=29655.   Alternatively, thread and yarn can be spun from synthetic and artificial fibers.32Textile Value Chain, Techtera, www.techtera.org/en/techtera/the-textile-sector/textile-value-chain.   The yarn may then be processed further via milling and texturization,33Textile Value Chain, Techtera, www.techtera.org/en/techtera/the-textile-sector/textile-value-chain.   which is the process of altering the yarn by introducing loops, crimps or coils.34Yarn Texturing || Types || Methods, Textile Sphere, May 2020, www.textilesphere.com/2020/05/yarn-texturing.html#:~:text=Texturizing%20can%20be%20termed%20as,is%20used%20as%20feed%20yarn.  

The cotton lint might go through a cotton fiber trading company before it reaches the spinning mills. Following production, yarn agents sell the thread and yarn on to weaving/knitting mills, where the yarn is transformed into fabrics.35Seeds of Oppression, ARISA and Centre for Labour Research and Action (CLRA), July 2021,  arisa.nl/wp-content/uploads/SeedsOfOppression.pdf.   The fabrics are then finished through dying, bleaching, and printing, which can take place at other factories.36Overeem, P., Theuws, M., Heyl, D. ‘Spinning around workers rights’, ARISA and SOMO, May 2021, arisa.nl/wp-content/uploads/SpinningAroundWorkersRights.pdf.   The final stage in the production chain is the making of garments at garment factories.37Overeem, P., Theuws, M., Heyl, D. ‘Spinning around workers rights’, ARISA and SOMO, May 2021, arisa.nl/wp-content/uploads/SpinningAroundWorkersRights.pdf.   All these manufacturing stages are associated with risks of child and forced labor.38Forced and Child Labour in The Cotton Industry, World Vision Action, 2012, www.worldvision.com.au/docs/default-source/buy-ethical-fact-sheets/forced-and-child-labour-in-the-cotton-industry-fact-sheet.pdf?sfvrsn=2#:~:text=Children%20as%20young%20as%20five,the%20expense%20of%20their%20education9.  

Cotton fibre trading

Thread production and spinning

Thread/yarn manufacturing into textiles

Associated Upstream Goods with Labor Risk

Cottonseed (hybrid) is an upstream good of thread/yarn production that is associated with child and forced labor.

Cotton is an upstream good of thread/yarn production because the cotton lint is used to form thread/yarn. Cotton is associated with child and forced labor at the farming and ginning levels.

Associated Downstream Goods and Consumer Sectors

Textiles Apparel and Luxury Goods

Yarn is used for knitting, weaving and sewing. Thread is used for sewing and embroidery. Both of these goods can be used to manufacture textiles and garments.

Top Global Countries

Synthetic filament yarn

  1. China39 List of exporters for the selected product in 2021 Product : 5402 Synthetic filament yarn, incl. synthetic monofilaments of < 67 decitex (excluding sewing thread and yarn put up for retail sale), www.trademap.org/Country_SelProduct.aspx?nvpm=1%7c%7c%7c%7c%7c5402%7c%7c%7c4%7c1%7c1%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c1 .  
  2. India 
  3. Vietnam 
  4. South Korea 
  5. Taiwan 
  6. Turkey 
  7. Italy 
  8. United States of America 
  9. Japan 
  10. Belgium 

Yarn of man-made staple fibres

  1. Turkey40 List of exporters for the selected product in 2021 Product : 5511 Yarn of man-made staple fibres, put up for retail sale (excluding sewing thread), www.trademap.org/Country_SelProduct.aspx?nvpm=1%7c%7c%7c%7c%7c5511%7c%7c%7c4%7c1%7c1%7c2%7c1%7c%7c2%7c1%7c1%7c1 .  
  2. China 
  3. India 
  4. United States of America 
  5. Canada 
  6. Germany 
  7. Netherlands 
  8. Egypt  
  9. Italy 
  10. Serbia 

Examples & Resources: Traceability Efforts Associated With Thread/Yarn

Footnotes