The project — funded by sustainability standards organization ISEAL — will not only identify real-success stories that can serve as inspiration for targeted interventions, but it will also generate learnings that will benefit cotton farming countries around the world.

Women play a vital role in India’s cotton farming regions, but they continuously face significant barriers to advance their positions. These challenges stem from cultural and societal barriers, including limited access to education, restrictions on independent travel and unpaid domestic and care work that disproportionately falls on them.

Jyoti Narain Kapoor, director of Better Cotton’s India Programme, said, “Women form the foundation of cotton farming communities across India, but too often are their contributions unrecognized and unrewarded. This research project will help underpin our women’s empowerment efforts in the country by studying what does and what does not work.”

Over the next year, Better Cotton will work closely with two in-country Programme Partners¹, Cotton Connect India and WWF India, who together support more than 125,000 Better Cotton licensed farmers across Maharashtra and Telangana.

The aim is to gain insights into their recruitment strategies and retain more women into organizational leadership roles. As part of the process, community-facing roles — such as Producer Unit Managers and Field Facilitators — have been identified as an area for investment and strengthening.

The results will help Better Cotton develop and streamline mechanisms for supporting women in cotton as it works towards its 2030 Impact Target² on women’s empowerment.

Nini Mehrotra, senior manager for Gender Equality at Better Cotton, said: “We want to strengthen the women in community facing organizational roles because that’s one of the best pathways to empower women in farming roles. It’s a unique supportive relationship – bringing technical knowledge, safe space, inspiration and modelling all together. Since they are from the same communities, women facilitators carry a deep understanding of the challenges women farmers and cultivators battle with. Because they are also the ones who are agronomic experts on the field, their presence speaks volumes about what is possible for women in farming communities.”

Vamshi Krishna, associate director of Sustainable Agriculture at WWF India, said: “Our experience shows that women have a natural affinity for learning and adopting nature-positive agricultural practices. With dedicated women learning groups, full-time training sessions, and seasonal workshops, we are laying the groundwork for continuous progress. This research project has the potential to guide us in refining these efforts, creating new innovations, and further empowering women in cotton cultivation. It will also open up opportunities for scaling these practices, making sustainable cotton farming a widespread reality in Telangana and beyond.”

Hardeep Desai, Global head of Farm Programmes at Cotton Connect, commented: “Female staff members contribute valuable skills especially indigenous knowledge and perspectives, enhancing the overall effectiveness of agricultural initiatives. Furthermore, their presence fosters a supportive network of female peers, which is instrumental in empowering women in the field. This gender balance promotes equitable decision-making processes and leads to more adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, thereby improving livelihoods within the sector.”

[1] Programme Partners work with cotton farming communities to help ensure they produce cotton in compliance with the Better Cotton Standard System (BCSS) and its Principles & Criteria (P&C).

[2] By 2030, Better Cotton has committed to reaching one million women in cotton with programmes and resources that promote equal farm decision-making, build climate resilience, or support improved livelihoods. This is in addition to ensuring that 25 percent of field staff are women with the power to influence sustainable cotton production.

Posted: October 10, 2024

Source Better Cotton

Planted at the beginning of the spring in Messolonghi, Greece, by a collective of NATIVA farmers including a mother and son partnership, NATIVA’s debut crop of cotton has finally ripened and opened thanks to the blazing Mediterranean sun.

Working with regenerative cotton founding partner, Nafpaktos Textile Industry SA, every step from the cultivation to the fiber processing and yarn making takes place in Greece – resulting in a farm to fiber cycle fully accomplished within the EU and complying with EU standards in labor and environmental conservation rights.

“We are so pleased to harvest our first crop of regeneratively grown cotton,” said Maria Estrada, NATIVA Global director. “From planting the seed to picking a bumper crop of the finest quality, our goal of positively impacting the supply chain through regenerative farming is becoming a reality thanks to our wonderful partners. It is kismet for it all to happen on World Cotton Day.”

NATIVA!#s Regenerative Agriculture Program protects the land by bettering soil quality, safeguards crops by ensuring soil health, and supports farmers and local communities by improving their livelihoods. These multidisciplinary efforts further result in greater water quality and increased CO2 capturing levels. Measured over a five-year period, NATIVA aims to achieve a 20-percent increase of organic materials (natural nutrients) in the soil through its regenerative agricultural practices. This is supported by a 25-percent reduction in pesticides, with an eventual goal of zero pesticide use throughout time, and the effective eradication of tillage.

All NATIVA Cotton incorporates NATIVA Blockchain technology, which digitally tracks and logs every step of the fiber’s journey.

NATIVA is honored to introduce its farmers by name and to collaborate with premium partner brands such as Stella McCartney, Gucci, Pangaia and COS as part of their NATIVARegen program.

Posted: October 7, 2024

Source: NATIVA

World Cotton Day was established at the initiative of the four cotton-producing countries collectively known as the C4: Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mali. In 2021, the United Nations proclaimed 7 October the annual World Cotton Day. Under the motto “Cotton for Good”, World Cotton Day focusses on the diverse benefits of cotton and its crucial role in the sustainable development of many countries in the Global South. Organised by the World Trade Organization (WTO), the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), this year’s conference will be the first to span two days, October 7-8, as well as the first to be held in a cotton-producing country, Benin.

Together with other experts, members of the AbTF team will lend their expertise to three panels at the conference to represent the urgent concerns of small-scale cotton farmers. Particularly noteworthy is that Bagoudou Bougnon Koto, a small-scale farmer who grows CmiA Organic cotton in Benin, will join Alexandra Perschau, the head of standards and outreach at the Aid by Trade Foundation, on a panel called “Women’s Empowerment in the Cotton Value Chain”, thereby bringing a small-scale farmer’s perspective directly to the international stage.

“Women play a crucial role in cotton cultivation, and we have made significant progress in achieving equality between women and men thanks to CmiA and the requirements of our standard,” said Perschau. “Access to training and education is crucial to ensuring equal opportunities for women. It is also important that existing social norms and barriers no longer act as obstacles. CmiA is committed to continue questioning and changing these structures so that every woman can develop her full potential.”

All team members’ panel appearances will reflect at least one shared concern: that small-scale cotton cultivation is under existential threat. As reported in Klimareporter, for instance, people in Africa are responsible for less than ten percent of climate change, but they nonetheless bear the brunt of its effects. These include destroyed crops and devastated livelihoods as well as catastrophic droughts, floods, pest infestations, and the spread of plant diseases.

Together with experts from the spheres of industry, academia, and public interest, AbTF will call for farmers to be offered support with building up a new, more resilient form of cotton cultivation in Africa. Only by alleviating the impact of climate change and ensuring that cotton cultivation remains attractive for future generations of small-scale farmers can the world guarantee the long-term supply of cotton to its markets.

Posted: October 7, 2024

Source: The Cotton made in Africa initiative (CmiA)

The announcement was made on the occasion of World Cotton Day on 7th October 2024, an ideal opportunity for Carrington Textiles to highlight its commitment to developing workwear fabrics that not only offer high levels of quality and performance, but also support the production of responsibly sourced cotton globally.

What is Better Cotton?

It’s an initiative that promotes sustainable cotton farming practices to improve the environment and the livelihoods of farmers while ensuring high-quality cotton for consumers.

In 2019-2020, Better Cotton licensed over 2.4 million farmers from 23 countries across five continents. Together, these farmers produced 23 percent of the world’s cotton.

Better Cotton is sourced via a chain of custody model called mass balance. This means that Better Cotton is not physically traceable to end products, however, Better Cotton Farmers benefit from the demand for Better Cotton in equivalent volumes to those sourced.

How can this benefit customers?

When customers buy any of Carrington Textiles fabrics containing cotton, Better Cotton Credits or BCCUs are generated. These BCCUs can be claimed by a registered company directly on the Better Cotton Platform and used to communicate the responsibly source nature of the fabric’s cotton by using hang tags, labels and other marketing materials.

Neil Davey, Carrington Textiles’ managing director, announced this pivotal commitment to sustainability reflecting the company’s dedication to reducing its environmental footprint and providing customers with responsibly sourced materials.

Neil stated, “With 99 percent of fabrics from our FR, workwear and defense ranges containing cotton, this is a huge step towards our sustainability efforts, all of which we are proud to cover in our latest Sustainability Report. This initiative is expected to have a lasting positive impact on our products and the planet.”

Posted: October 7, 2024

Source: Carrington Textiles

The report provides a comprehensive overview of the organization’s field-level impact from the 2022-23 cotton season, alongside insights into its membership growth, financial developments and key project updates and innovations from 2023-24.

With a strong commitment to improving the lives and livelihoods of farmers and promoting sustainable farming practices, Better Cotton remains at the forefront of efforts to foster a more equitable and sustainable cotton across the industry.

Alan McClay, CEO at Better Cotton, commented: “Better Cotton is at an exciting juncture, and if there is one key takeaway from 2023, it is the need for us to come together and build on the momentum we’ve created. The proven solutions we’ve developed have taken us far, but continued commitment and investment in cotton farming communities are essential to accelerate the wider impact our world needs.”

Key highlights

• In the 2022-23 cotton season, 5.47 million metric tons of Better Cotton were produced, representing 22 percent of global volumes (25.03 million metric tons). This spanned 22 countries around the world in collaboration with close to 60 Program Partners¹.
• In the 2022-23 cotton season, out of 2.43 million farmers who received training, more than 2.13 million received a license to sell their cotton as “Better Cotton.”
• In 2023, Better Cotton welcomed 311 new members, including 37 Retailers and Brands and 264 Suppliers and Manufacturers.

Volume of Better Cotton Grown (2022-23 Season Data)

In Brazil, the largest producer of Better Cotton, the volume of licensed Better Cotton grew from 1.97 million metric tons in the 2021-22 season to more than 2.64 million metric tons in the 2022-23 season.

In India, yields also increased from around 863,000 metric tons in the 2021-22 season to more than 917,000 metric tons in the 2022-23 season.

In contrast, Pakistan’s cotton farmers were hit hard by devastating floods which led to a significant drop in the volumes of Better Cotton produced from 817,000 metric tons in the 2021-22 season to 305,000 the following year.

Production in Africa also decreased from around 630,000 metric tons to 442,000. This was primarily due to a Jassid pest infestation in Mali that affected up to 50 percent of the country’s cotton crop.

Elsewhere, the 2022-23 cotton season was one of continued growth for several countries including the United States, Australia, Turkey, Egypt, Israel and Greece.

Better Cotton Licensed Farmers Around the World (2022-23 Season Data)

The most notable growth in licensed farmer numbers during the 2022-23 season came across Africa, where the total aligned with Better Cotton and its Strategic Partner², Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) improved from 570,000 in the 2021-22 season to more than 610,000 in the 2022-23 season.

In Pakistan, the number of Better Cotton licensed farmers fell from 510,000 to just over 351,000, again due to the effects of the floods. Modest gains were seen in Turkey, Egypt, Greece and the United States.

Membership and Operational Highlights

Despite a challenging business landscape, member sourcing was almost on par with 2022 sourcing results: 343 retailers and brands sourced 2.5 million metric tons of Better Cotton in 2023.

Throughout 2023, Better Cotton made a number of key announcements, including the launch of Better Cotton Traceability in November. The new solution enables members to trace Better Cotton back to its country of origin.

In 2023, Better Cotton expanded its global reach with new programs in Spain and Côte d’Ivoire, the latter in partnering with the Professional Association of Cotton Companies of Côte d’Ivoire to support 200,000 farmers over five years.

In addition, the India Impact Report, published in September, revealed significant progress, including a 53 percent reduction in pesticide use and a 15.6 percent decrease in overall costs on Better Cotton farms, showcasing the ongoing positive impact of its initiatives across eight cotton seasons.

Outlook to 2023-24

In response to the changing legislative landscape, Better Cotton has been working with members, peer sustainability standards schemes and other relevant stakeholders to evolve our standard requirements and Claims Framework. In 2025, we will publish our Claims Framework v.4.0 to address these new realities.

As part of this, complemented by a robust approach to assurance, we are developing a new label which will enable brands sourcing Physical Better Cotton to market products to consumers as containing Better Cotton for the very first time.

We are also working on evolving our assurance program to an accredited certification scheme, where all licensing decisions will be carried out by independent, third parties moving forward.

This shift will enable legal compliance and further strengthen the credibility of our assurance activities and the Better Cotton label.

¹ Programme Partners work with farming communities at field level to ensure they are producing cotton that meets the Better Cotton Standard.

² Better Cotton Strategic Partners operate sustainability standards which are recognized as equivalent to the Better Cotton Standard System, enabling licenced farmers to sell their cotton as ‘Better Cotton’.

Posted: September 24, 2024

Source: Better Cotton

The #BehindTheSeams 2024 campaign, running throughout September, aims to offer unique insights into the people and practices behind organic textiles. It showcases the environmental and social benefits of organic-certified cotton, while calling on the industry to help scale the supply of organic fibers by empowering farmers.

Bridging the gap: supporting farmers during the in-conversion period

With a growing demand for organic cotton, the industry still faces a supply shortfall. The solution lies in empowering more farmers to grow organic fibers. #BehindTheSeams is spotlighting “organic in-conversion” farming and urging brands and the entire industry to support farmers during the critical transition period from conventional to organic. OCA and GOTS are highlighting this often-overlooked, yet vital stage of organic-in-conversion — the crucial period when farmers shift their practices to meet organic certification requirements. This transition, which can span up to three years, presents several challenges for farmers as they navigate fluctuating crop conditions and market uncertainties. During this time, they need unwavering support from the industry to succeed.

To support these farmers, OCA provides critical resources such as capacity-building, premium payments, and market linkages. During the 2023-2024 cotton season, OCA worked with over 35,000 in-conversion farmers in India and Pakistan, as part of a broader program that supports over 80.000 farmers. This impact has been made possible through the commitments of 16 brands  participating in OCA’s Farm Program.

A win-win partnership for brands and farmers 

Transitioning to organic farming requires significant knowledge and resources, and it`s an experience that no farmer should face alone. Brands that commit to purchasing in-conversion cotton invest in the additional support and inputs farmers require as they make the switch to organic practices. This commitment helps farmers navigate the challenging transition period, resulting in certified crops with significant environmental and economic benefits. OCA enables and facilitates this process, but more brands need to join OC’s Farm Programme to expand support for farmers. OCA’s Farm Programme addresses existing challenges in organic cotton farming by providing farmers with tools, expertise, and market commitments from buyers, ensuring higher earnings and a secure supply of organic fibre. The programme ensures that brands benefit from price clarity, verified impact data, and long-term supply commitments, all alligned with globally recognised organic standards.
 
Joining the movement for organic cotton 

The #BehindTheSeams campaign calls on brands, retailers, and stakeholders across the textile industry to act now by supporting farmers during this critical in-conversion phase. By joining OCA’s Farm Programme, companies can make a tangible impact on the future of organic cotton, securing not only a sustainable supply of organic fibers but also contributing to global sustainability goals.

Posted September 10, 2024

Source: Organic Cotton Accelerator

Signatories included groups representing farmers, livestock and specialty crop producers, lenders and other essential stakeholders in agricultural communities across the U.S. Commodity and lending groups will head to the Capitol en masse this week to advocate for passage of the legislation with a stronger agricultural safety net.

“It is critical that Congress pass a new farm bill that strengthens the safety net as many producers are facing multiple years of not being profitable, and this is causing their overall financial situation to deteriorate,” the letter said. “Some will have challenges as they seek operating credit for the 2025 crop year.”

The farm bill is typically passed every five years and supports the nation’s farmers, ranchers and forest stewards through a variety of safety net, credit, conservation and other critical programs. The law was originally scheduled for reauthorization in 2023. Last November, Congress voted to extend the existing legislation to September 30, 2024. Since that point, the leadership from both parties on the Senate and House Agriculture Committees have worked to push the legislation forward.

As the farm bill has faced delays, producers across the country have experienced headwinds, ranging from extreme weather to high input costs to uncertain global demand to supply chain disruptions.

Since the beginning of the year, the harvest price of major crops traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Intercontinental Exchange have fallen by an average of 21% while total production costs remain near record levels.

Farmers and their allies say these challenges have exposed areas of the farm bill that need to be strengthened.

“Since the 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law, we have realized considerable gaps in the farm safety net due to sharply changing conditions, including the trade war with China, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, COVID-19 and related supply chain challenges, rising foreign subsidies, tariffs, non-tariff trade barriers and other harmful practices,” the letter said. “These conditions seriously tested the effectiveness of the 2018 Farm Bill, and it was only by the aggressive use of supplemental assistance that many farms survived.”

The letter noted that the outlook for farm country is even more daunting, as the USDA-projected market prices for the 2024 crop are well below costs of production, and current projections paint another bleak picture for 2025.

“The farm bill reauthorization provides an opportunity for Congress to address serious challenges in agriculture,” the letter said. “A durable farm safety net, along with risk management tools like a strong federal crop insurance program, voluntary and locally led incentive-based conservation programs, and enhanced international marketing and promotion programs, will be critical in shoring up America’s farm families and rural communities, which otherwise face an uncertain — and potentially calamitous — future.”

Posted September 10, 2024

Soure: National Cotton Council

CertainT is a textiles traceability platform that uses forensic, multiple-proof-point evidence to enable source and authenticity verification of materials and products at any point as they are transformed through global supply chains.

Under the terms of the agreement, Applied DNA will supply Indus with its CertainT platform for non-home, cotton-based products — apparel, footwear, and accessories — originating from Indus facilities in Pakistan, Egypt, and Jordan, utilizing cotton from multiple global sources. Indus will have exclusive use of the platform in these countries and non-exclusive use elsewhere. The platform encompasses spray systems, DNA taggant, taggant and genotyping testing services, devices and materials for on-site testing, and isotopic testing services. No rights to the CertainT platform with respect to home textiles were granted under the Agreement.

The company’s cotton tagging revenues have historically been tied to annual cotton harvests; tagging will now occur at Indus’s spinners, which operate year-round. The parties intend to implement the CertainT platform at multiple cotton spinning mills in Year 1 of the agreement with a planned subsequent broader deployment based on forecasts from Indus for tagged cotton.

Dr. James A. Hayward, president and CEO of Applied DNA, stated: “We believe this Agreement is key to reducing the lumpiness in segment revenues to create a steadier revenue stream. For the first time, we have secured a partner that can tag cotton year-round with globally sourced cotton. Furthermore, this is CertainT’s first large-scale deployment catalyzed by the implementation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). We expect the UFLPA to be an important tailwind for this segment, informing our sales approach to other apparel textile manufacturers. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with Indus.”

Indus is comprised of wholly owned and joint-venture production facilities in Pakistan, Egypt, and Jordan that serve brands in North America, the European Union, Australia, and New Zealand, including big box retailers and global leaders in sportswear and premium brands.

Indus CEO Abid Hafeez added, “Innovation and product development are at the heart of our corporate ethos and are fundamental to our ambitious growth goals. CertainT brings innovation to our organization with forensic cotton traceability and supply chain security, from yarn to finished goods, and compliance with the UFLPA for shipments bound to the U.S. Such a capability creates value, sustainability, and traceability for existing customers, giving us a significant competitive advantage in global fashion and apparel. We look forward to our new partnership with Applied DNA and expanding CertainT’s footprint within our cotton supply chain in the coming years.”

Posted: July 25, 2024

Source: Applied DNA Sciences

Alan McClay, CEO at Better Cotton, said: “I’m excited to welcome our new co-chairs and members to the Better Cotton Council. Their experience, insights and perspectives will be invaluable as the council continues to evolve to best serve Better Cotton, its affiliated farmers and diverse network of members and partners. I look forward to the discussions we have to come.”

The new co-chairs are Bill Ballenden, a newly elected member and the Head of Sustainability and Innovation at Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) Cotton, and Tamar Hoek, Senior Policy Director for Sustainable Fashion at Solidaridad. Together, they will execute the duty of chair, acting both as internal and external ambassadors for Better Cotton and ensuring policy decisions are presented to the council and appropriately considered.

In a joint statement, Ballenden and Hoek said, “We are delighted to be working together as a team in order to support Better Cotton and work with the Better Cotton Council, as sustainability and traceability in the cotton value chain become increasingly important. The fact that we have a different role within the chain but share the same passion for cotton and sustainability, will allow us to efficiently serve the membership, the Council and the entire cotton value chain from farm to fabric.”

Better Cotton has also welcomed representatives from Marks & Spencer, J.Crew Group, leading Pakistani spinner Nishat Chunian and Mozambican farmer body FONPA, to its council, who join with a retroactive start date of 1 June 2024.

In addition to Bill Ballenden, other newly elected members of the Better Cotton Council include:

• Doug Forster, Chief Sourcing Officer at J.Crew Group, has been instrumental in streamlining the company’s supplier guide and has extensive experience driving sustainability initiatives at numerous apparel firms.
  • “At J.Crew Group, our sourcing of Better Cotton is key to our goal to have 100% of our cotton sourced sustainably by 2025. Cotton is our largest volume material, representing nearly 70% of our fiber footprint, and we are committed to sourcing cotton that benefits both people and planet.”
• Elodie Gilart, Senior Sustainability Manager at Marks & Spencer, currently leads the company’s raw materials and circularity strategy for clothing and home products.
  • “Cotton is the main material in our portfolio. Better Cotton has therefore been a key partner for us since we joined as a pioneer member back in 2009. Since then, we have achieved our cotton conversion target for all garments in 2019 and see this partnership as essential to progressing to the next level of our strategy, focusing on traceability and the acceleration of impact at the farm level.”
• Nadia Bilal, Managing Director of Spinning at Nishat Chunian, supports strategic raw material planning, market trend analysis and project management at the company, which is among the top ranked employers in Pakistan’s textile sector for women’s empowerment.
  • “Nishat Chunian Limited has been a trusted partner of Better Cotton from its beginning. In my new role as a council member, I look forward to engaging with all stakeholders for capacity building in upstream supply chains to make them more robust and transparent.  I am passionate about regenerative agricultural practices and making technology more accessible for cotton growers and ginners in Asia. Going forward, I will support Better Cotton for all sustainability initiatives, promoting innovation, inclusivity and the circular economy to drive sustainability within the global cotton industry and help make our planet a better place.”
• Vicente Sando, Executive Coordinator at FONPA, Mozambique’s National Forum of Cotton Farmers, has a wealth of experience in agricultural development and advocacy.
  • “FONPA as an organisation representing mainly small farmers. Our contribution as a member of the Better Cotton Council is to work towards an inclusive, transparent, collaborative, and sustainable value chain that supports a decent work for cotton farmers.”

Better Cotton has also announced the re-election of Rajan Bhopal, International Project Manager (Supply Chain) at PAN UK, and Shahid Zia, Executive Director at the Lok Sanjh Foundation to its council.

With these newly elected members come the departure of three members from the Council. Gerson Fajardo of Walmart; Pierre Chebab of Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC); and Kevin Quinlan, Independent, have completed their tenures and now left the council.

The Better Cotton Council, which is the subject of a biennial nomination and election process, comprises a select group of members which sit at the centre of the organisation and are responsible for its strategic direction. Council members represent retailers, brands, manufacturers, suppliers, producers, and civil society across the cotton industry.

Together, council members shape the approach that ultimately enables Better Cotton to fulfil its mission: to help cotton communities survive and thrive, while protecting and restoring the environment.

Posted: July 23, 2024

Source: Better Cotton Council 

Dr. Don Parker served the NCC from 2007 to 2023, first as Manager of Integrated Pest Management and later as Vice President, Technical Services and Executive Director of the Cotton Foundation. He dedicated his career to advancing agricultural education, promotion, and inclusivity within the agriculture industry. As a visionary leader, he championed the cause of underrepresented minorities, recognizing their immense potential to shape the future of farming. This scholarship seeks to provide permanent financial support to deserving students who aspire to achieve degrees in agricultural- related programs.

Two tax deductible opportunities exist to honor the work of Dr. Don Parker. Larger group or corporate donors may prefer to choose the permanent endowed scholarship, while individuals may wish to make an immediate impact in Fall 2025. Follow the respective links below for the two opportunities:

Fall 2025 Scholarship:

https://dda.msstate.edu/give-now?f=405034

Permanent Endowed Scholarship:

https://dda.msstate.edu/give-now?f=405034

Posted: June 25, 2024

Source: The National Cotton Council (NCC)