Major Fashion Brands Inditex, H&M, C&A, Primark, PVH And Others Sold 1.55 Billion Fake Organic Garments, Investigation Reveals

Major fashion brands like Inditex, H&M, C&A, Primark, PVH, and many others are selling fake organic garments to the consumers under the shadow of Textile Exchange.

In my recent articles, I reported that IDFL, a certification body, has been accused of promoting unethical practices in the organic cotton sector. The Indian branch, IDFL India, was found to have engaged in fraudulent activities, including the creation of fake transaction certificates, shipping companies, truck receipts, and email IDs of certification bodies. These fraudulent actions were allegedly carried out with the knowledge and support of Textile Exchange’s current management, including Ms. Claire Bergkamp and her team members, Mr. Biko Nagara and Mr. Hong Lee.

Despite being presented with over 100 pieces of evidence proving fraud committed by IDFL India’s customers, Textile Exchange failed to take decisive action. This inaction has led to allegations of corruption and complicity in organic cotton fraud. IDFL’s response to these accusations was merely to blacklist a few random customers—creating an illusion of accountability—while the entry of conventional materials into the organic supply chain continues unchecked.

I have already submitted a comprehensive set of evidence to key figures at Textile Exchange, including Mr. Biko Nagara and Mr. Hong Lee and Ms. Claire Bergkamp This evidence includes documentation of fraudulent activities, such as fake NOP input transaction certificates, forged Bills of Lading, fabricated transportation documents, and the absence of actual physical goods movement. These fraudulent actions have been corroborated by multiple stakeholders, further validating the claims.

Despite the seriousness of this issue, Ms. Claire Bergkamp, who holds a critical oversight role, has consistently failed to address the ongoing fraudulent activities carried out by IDFL. Her lack of action raises serious concerns about accountability and diligence within the certification system.

It has been identified that the total organic cotton consumed by IDFL India’s customers in 2024 amounts to 48,485,527 metric tons of organic raw cotton—equivalent to approximately 3.15 million cotton bales. However, India’s average organic cotton production in recent years has been only around 1.7–2 million bales. This discrepancy raises serious concerns, as IDFL alone has certified 3.15 million bales of organic cotton input.

Further analysis of public data shows that IDFL has certified around 25% of the ginning units engaged in organic cotton production, while the remaining 75% are certified by other certification bodies such as Control Union, Intertek, GSCS, Bureau Veritas, and Ecocert. These statistics call into question the transparency of IDFL in certifying organic cotton bales under Textile Exchange standards.

The data suggests that cotton suppliers certified by IDFL India may be involved in fraudulent activities, with IDFL India purportedly facilitating the generation of 3.15 million organic cotton bales which is equivalent to 1.55 billion pieces of fake organic garments between October 2023 and October 2024. Given that Textile Exchange has oversight of the data reported annually by certification bodies, it is shocking that no investigation has been conducted into IDFL India, despite clear statistical inconsistencies between organic cotton production and certified organic bales.

Consumers are being deceived by this widespread scam. We urge fashion brands to take strict action against Textile Exchange and IDFL to uphold the integrity of organic cotton certification and restore trust in the industry.