Dublin, Oct. 16 -- An investigation has uncovered that cotton tied to forced labour in China's Xinjiang region continues to seep into European markets, despite years of corporate promises to end unethical sourcing.

The report found that at least 15 factories in Bangladesh have imported hundreds of tonnes of cotton from two Chinese textile giants, Esquel Group and Jiangsu Lianfa Textiles, both of which are linked to Beijing's forced labour schemes. These factories supply major Irish retailers, including Tesco and Penneys, as reported by University Times.

According to University Times, Esquel Group and Jiangsu Lianfa maintain extensive operations in Xinjiang, which produces nearly a third of the world's cotton. The region, however, is inf...