New RT Investigates documentary reveals cotton produced by forced labour camps in China may be found in clothes sold in major Irish retailers.
Could forced labour cotton be in your clothes?
Watch the trailer here.
RT Investigates dives into Ireland's clothing supply chains and finds that some of Ireland's largest retailers are exposed to forced labour cotton. In a brand new documentary this Wednesday night, reporter Joe Galvin follows the threads back to China's Xinjiang province, where people in a forced labour regime pick and process cotton that may be used to make many of the clothes sold in Ireland.
When horrifying reports of severe human rights violations and forced labour in China's cotton heartland of Xinjiang first emerged, clothing retailers vowed to halt sourcing from the region. Evidence that China has built a system of state repression, targeting a minority known as the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, has led many countries to boycott Xinjiang cotton and it is banned by the US. However, it is not illegal to import forced labour cotton into the EU.
Major Irish retailers say their cotton is not from the Xinjiang region, but can they be sure? RT Investigates examines if shoppers can really be confident about the origin of cotton used in clothes sold in Ireland.
Through extensive research and painstaking investigation reporter Joe Galvin reveals that cotton from Xinjiang, picked and processed by a repressed minority called the Uyghurs, may still be found in Irish shops.
Watch RT Investigates: Forced Fashion on Wednesday 24th September at 9.35pm on RT One and RT Player
ENDS
For more information please and interview requests please contact: Sarah Neville, RT communications.
More from RTE
02/10/2025
At a time when world events can feel dark and overwhelming, The Lyric Feature on...
02/10/2025
Priscilla Presley and John C. Reilly join The Late Late Show Country Music Special to celebrate 10 years
Priscilla Presley | John C. Reilly | Daniel O'Donn...
02/10/2025
Key Presidential Debates to help voters decide
First Debate this Sunday 5 October on RT One & RT Player
Over the course of the 2025 Presidential election ...
01/10/2025
RT has today revealed a new Head Judge and presenter line-up for the ninth series of the hit show Dancing with the Stars.
The new Head Judge on the dancefloor...
26/09/2025
After four suspense-filled weeks, 24 fascinating players and 12 nail-biting episodes, The Traitors Ireland came to a dramatic conclusion this week and audiences...
26/09/2025
Former First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon will join Patrick for a wide-r...
25/09/2025
RT 's This is Art!' creative kids art competition launches with nature ...
24/09/2025
Seisi n returns to RT One and RT Player from Friday 26 September at 8pm with f...
24/09/2025
Broadcasters Mary Wilson and ine Lawlor will sign off on Morning Ireland on RT Radio 1 for the final time this morning. Today marks Mary Wilson's official...
24/09/2025
RT Investigates reveals factories supplying clothing to major Irish retailers h...
22/09/2025
It's back! To mark the return of the 14th season of the TODAY Show, Ireland's most successful and longest-running afternoon show, RT releases new prese...
22/09/2025
New RT Investigates documentary reveals cotton produced by forced labour camps ...
22/09/2025
Special programmes across RT television, radio and online, plus special initiatives
#ISL #IDSL #IWDP25
RT is proud to once again support Irish Sign Langua...
19/09/2025
RT SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2025: SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED
WINNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED AS PART OF AN RT RADIO 1 ARENA SPECIAL ON FRIDAY 24TH OCTOBER
LIVE FROM THE PA...
18/09/2025
Individual phones could be tracked back to specific residential addresses
Sm...
17/09/2025
Auditions will be held in Dublin, Cork and Galway
The County Parade returns f...
12/09/2025
The Late Late Show is back with a bang after the summer break, and Patrick Kielt...
12/09/2025
The World Athletics Championships, Ireland v France in the Women's Rugby World Cup quarter-final, the Irish Champions Festival, and two Sports Direct Men...
12/09/2025
The Records Show starts Sunday at 6.30pm on RT One and RT Player.
Katie Hanno...
11/09/2025
Tonight on Prime Time
RT One and RT Player at 9:35pm
Tonight RT Prime Time...
11/09/2025
RT Statement: 2026 Eurovision Song Contest
At the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in July, a number of EBU members raised concerns ...
10/09/2025
RT brings three days of live radio, live entertainment, live news, live weather, personal appearances, and more
Join RT Radio 1: Morning Ireland, The Oliver ...
09/09/2025
The Autumn Schedule has begun on RT Raidi na Gaeltachta, with a feast of music, entertainment, news and current affairs programmes as well as an interesting s...
05/09/2025
This weekend sees another feast in store for all sport fans as RT airs a jam-packed schedule of live, free-to-air sport.
The Amgen Irish Open continues all we...
04/09/2025
CELEBRATE CULTURE NIGHT ON RT
A rich schedule of live music and performances across RT services
RT will again celebrate Culture Night on Friday 19th Sept...
04/09/2025
RT shares first look images of drama series The Walsh Sisters, based on the novels by Marian Keyes
Coming to RT One and RT Player from Sunday 28 September,...
03/09/2025
My Story: Georgie - Cow Queen airs on RT 2 this Wednesday, September 3 at 4pm.
...
02/09/2025
This September, RT is delighted to support Culture Night, Dublin Theatre Festival, Limerick Jazz Festival, Dublin Fringe Festival and 17 other amazing arts and...
02/09/2025
RT and Virgin Media Television have today (Tuesday 2 September 2025) announced ...
01/09/2025
24 players have entered Slane Castle ready to outwit, outplay and outlast in the ultimate game of trust and deception.
The Traitors Ireland has commenced.
Her...
01/09/2025
First time television presenter Cathal Dowd, aged 23, from Wexford is the newest addition to the news2day team. news2day is RT 's news service designed spec...
29/08/2025
Get ready for an inspiring and emotional insight into the world of competitive Irish dancing with My Story: Tomi Champion of the World airing on RT 2 this monda...
29/08/2025
RT has today announced that David McCullagh is to be the new presenter of RT Radio 1's flagship Today programme, which airs every weekday at 10am, replaci...
27/08/2025
Filmed over the course of 20 years in Ireland's wild Atlantic, Dolphins: Wonders of the Ocean begins this Sunday.
From underwater cameraman Ken O'Sulli...
25/08/2025
RT Commercial has today announced Centra as proud food sponsor of The Traitors Ireland, coming to RT One and RT Player on August 31.
The partnership will be...
22/08/2025
Join Jacqui Hurley as she leads RT 's television coverage of the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025, with reporting from the Irish camp by Clare MacNamara. Co...
21/08/2025
RT today announces its exciting upcoming slate of video content, taking viewers from Autumn 2025 to Spring 2026 across RT One, RT 2 and RT Player. From an un...
20/08/2025
A record high of 202,000 watched on RT Player from 102 countries including Unit...
19/08/2025
RT Commercial has today announced Vodafone Ireland as the official broadcast sp...
18/08/2025
Cinematic classics in Waterford (6 September), classical in Drogheda (12 Septemb...
12/08/2025
All aboard! RT presenters D ith S and Kathryn Thomas meet this year's 3...
11/08/2025
The game of betrayal has come to Ireland and the walls of Slane Castle have secrets to tell
Sunday, August 31
RT One and RT Player
The Traitors Ireland | ...
08/08/2025
The Hills Are Alive: A Year at Kylemore Abbey starts Sunday at 6.30pm on RT One and RT Player
The Hills Are Alive: A Year at Kylemore Abbey, a new RT obser...
08/08/2025
Kieran's last C il House will be live from Fleadh Cheoil na h ireann this Saturday August 9
After three decades at the helm of RT Radio 1's C il Hou...
07/08/2025
RT has today announced the appointment of Mark Simpson to the role of Managing Editor, RT Radio 1.
Reporting to the Head of RT Radio 1, Tara Campbell, Mark ...
06/08/2025
Hosted by comedian Kevin McGahern, the companion show will spill the cloak-and-dagger secrets from The Traitors Ireland
Trust no one except maybe the host
G...
01/08/2025
This August, RT is delighted to support National Heritage Week, Waterford Walls, Kilkenny Arts Festival and 23 other arts and cultural events across the countr...
31/07/2025
It is with profound sadness that RT announces the death of radio presenter and actor Se n Rocks. Se n died last night following a brief illness at the age of 6...
28/07/2025
Kerry's dominant All Ireland Football Final display draws a peak of over one...
New RT Investigates documentary reveals cotton produced by forced labour camps in China may be found in clothes sold in major Irish retailers.
