As part of its YESS: Yarn Ethically & Sustainably Sourced flagship initiative, the Responsible Sourcing Network has released its first YESS Standard for Fabric Mills: Weaving & Knitting Operations Only and its 2.0 version of YESS Standard for Spinning Mills with the goal of eradicating forced labor in cotton supply chains by educating and evaluating fabric and yarn manufacturers to carry out due diligence and address the risk of cotton produced with forced labour within their own supply chains.

YESS founder and CEO Patricia Jurewicz, said that these guidelines will help set due diligence norms throughout global cotton supply chains all the way to the ground. They're thrilled to make these two standards publicly available so they may have a knock-on impact across the sector. After focused work researching, training, piloting, and obtaining input from stakeholders, mills, auditors, and brands.

With the help of the YESS standards, businesses will be better able to comply with regulations requiring due diligence, consumers will be reassured that brands are using cotton grown with little chance of forced labor, spinning and fabric mills will be able to put systems in place to reduce risk, and local stakeholders will be encouraged to collaborate to prevent and reduce the risk of forced labor in cotton production.

23 worldwide brand and store sponsorships, a grant from the Fair Labor Association, and the Verité STREAMS project, a traceability initiative financed by the US Department of Labor under cooperative agreement number IL-35805, all contributed to the development of the YESS standards. The Walt Disney Company and Humanity United contributed support for YESS Standard for Spinning Mills version 1.0.

Erin Klett, head of the Supply Chain Tracing & Engagement Methodologies (STREAMS) project at Verité, said that their relationship with YESS resonates with their aim to enhance transparency and due diligence throughout supply chains. In order to produce cotton items in a way that respects human rights, the YESS program and its criteria will be crucial in assisting fabric and spinning mills to prioritize where the dangers of forced labor in cotton production are greatest.

Lead author of the YESS standards and principal of Liz Muller & Partners, Liz Muller, said that up until now, the whole cotton supply chain has been opaque, making it challenging for retailers and brands to have an influence on labor conditions at the raw commodity level. Building a capability for due diligence in the center of the supply chain encourages communication across all tiers to spot issues and fix them.