Beyond China: US’ Xinjiang cotton ban has far-reaching implications, even for Asian alternatives

For garment manufacturers in South and South-East Asia, a sweeping United States ban on all Xinjiang products – including cotton – may initially seem like a windfall, given its smothering effect on China’s role as the world’s top textile maker.

But the reality is far more complicated, as the global textile supply chain is so deeply intertwined that what looks to be a potential boon could instead be a crushing burden.