Pop Mart said it would investigate the presence of Xinjiang cotton in its supply chains following reports that some of its popular Labubu dolls contain cotton banned under U.S. Law due to forced labor concerns.
The statement comes after testing revealed that certain Labubu dolls, sold in “blind boxes” across U.S. Retail stores, were found to contain cotton originating from China’s Xinjiang region, which is subject to a U.S. Import ban over allegations of state-imposed forced labor involving Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups.
A spokeswoman for Pop Mart confirmed the company would conduct an investigation into its supply chains and emphasized that it holds itself and its suppliers to high standards, though she did not provide further details on the scope or timeline of the review.
Multiple watchdog organizations, including the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, have highlighted the connection between viral consumer products like Labubu dolls and systemic forced labor practices in global supply chains, warning that such findings underscore the reach of China’s repression into everyday consumer goods.
The U.S. Government has moved swiftly to enforce the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which prohibits the import of goods made wholly or in part with labor from Xinjiang unless importers can prove compliance through rigorous documentation, a standard that has led to increased scrutiny of products ranging from textiles to toys.
As of now, Pop Mart has not released any public findings from its investigation, nor has it confirmed whether any of its products will be pulled from shelves or redesigned to exclude contested materials.