On Indian cotton plantations are still cases of child labour

After a 2024 strongly marked by the crisis and scandals related to the supply chain, the new year is set to reveal new investigations into the questionable production methods of the fashion industry. At the center of the new scoop this time are some of the leading Western fast fashion companies, including Inditex, owner of Zara, the H&M group, Gap Inc., and Amazon. According to revelations last week by the non-profit organization Transparentem, several cases of child labor have been found in the cotton plantations of Pratibha Syntex, which claims to be India’s largest producer of sustainable clothing. The organization states that children as young as six are found working in cotton fields to repay their parents’ debts. The news is particularly shocking to the industry because Pratibha Syntex claims to operate ethically toward the environment and farmers, but apparently, this is not the case: in addition to allegations of child labor, Transparentem found that some fields were cultivated with illegal synthetic pesticides both locally and internationally. 

To document the findings, Transparentem spoke with some of the children working in the cotton plantations of Pratibha Syntex: a 13-year-old girl was taken to the hospital by her father after using synthetic pesticides, while the mother of an 11-year-old reported that her daughter vomited due to toxic fumes. Pratibha Syntex's fields are located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, the second-largest region in the world for cotton production. Interviewed by BoF for clarifications, the company Remei involved in the scandal accused the non-profit of lacking transparency in its investigation, while suppliers contacted by the publication naturally claimed there was insufficient data to link them to cases of child labor or other illegal activities. Transparentem was unable to reveal the names of the workers interviewed or the plantations investigated for privacy reasons. Other brands commented that they will cooperate to improve working conditions at Pratibha Syntex. The company, together with Amazon, Gap Inc., the H&M group, and Inditex, has joined the Fair Labour Association, an organization established to protect workers in 32 villages in Madhya Pradesh. Transparentem emphasizes that the program is limited to a small area, while the child labor issue is systemic and not limited to the accused company.