Fast Retailing Co., owner of the Uniqlo apparel chain, is closely monitoring to see if Chinese demand for its products is affected by Chairman Tadashi Yanai’s reported comment that the company isn’t using cotton from Xinjiang.

Casual wear giant Uniqlo is facing calls for a consumer boycott in China after the CEO of the clothing company's owner said it does not source cotton from China's Xinjiang, which has faced allegations of forced labour in recent years.

Uniqlo is facing an online backlash in China after the boss of its parent company said the Japanese clothing retailer does not source cotton from Xinjiang. Fast Retailing's chief executive Tadashi Yanai said Uniqlo was "not using" cotton from the western Chinese province in a BBC interview this week.

A Chinese government spokesperson took a softer stance on the hot-button issue, and said businesses that source and manufacture in China "should not be swayed by political pressure."

By Eduardo Baptista and Casey Hall BEIJING (Reuters) -Casual wear giant Uniqlo is facing calls for a consumer boycott in China after a BBC report quoted the CEO of its owner as saying the company does not source cotton from China's Xinjiang region,

Uniqlo is facing calls for a consumer boycott in China after the company's boss said the Japanese clothing retailer does not source cotton from Xinjiang amid allegations of forced labour in the region.