Why Is the 'Chinese Prisoner Mugshot' Inside a Famous Brand Coat?..."I Wouldn't Even Want It Replaced with a New One"

英 'Regata Coat' lining reveals Chinese prisoner ID
Regata denies, "The garment was produced in a factory"

A famous British clothing brand is embroiled in controversy after an identification card, presumed to belong to a Chinese prisoner, was found in the lining of one of its coats.

Identification card found in the lining of a Regatta coat, a British clothing brand.
[Photo by X (formerly Twitter)]

According to reports from major media outlets on the 1st (local time), an ID card believed to be from a Chinese prisoner was discovered in the lining of a Regatta coat, raising suspicions that the garment was produced using prison labor.

Consumer A, who raised the suspicion, purchased a waterproof women's coat online during last month's Black Friday sale. After receiving the coat, A felt something hard inside the lining of the right sleeve and tore the garment to remove it, only to find a prison ID card.

The ID card found by A bore the name of a Chinese prison and included a mugshot of a man. A said, "I never expected something like this to come with the clothes I bought," adding, "I dress my children in these clothes, and if something like this happens, it makes me very uncomfortable."

A also shared the inquiry made through Regatta's online chat service. When A asked, "Is this really a prison ID card?" the customer service representative responded, "It is an employee ID issued by a factory in China," and requested that the ID card be discarded.

Following the advice, A disposed of the ID card but later that evening received a call from Regatta stating they would retrieve both the ID card and the coat.

A said, "They asked me to send the ID card and offered to send a new coat as a 'gesture of goodwill' in exchange for the one I had received," but added, "I declined the offer. I know that in China it is legal for prisoners to make clothes, but I feel uncomfortable with prisoners making garments."

Image unrelated to the article content.
Photo by Getty Images Bank

Regatta stated, "We take this matter very seriously," and asserted, "As an ethical trading company, we ensure ethical work standards for all and enforce strict policies to prevent forced labor or prison labor."

However, they denied that the garment was produced through prison labor, saying, "After a thorough investigation, the clothing was manufactured in a factory that fully complies with regulations." They added, "We are investigating how the item ended up inside the garment."

Meanwhile, Chinese prison law stipulates that "prisons combine punishment and rehabilitation to transform criminals into law-abiding citizens, implementing principles that integrate education and labor."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.