Cotton

Becoming more sustainable is for big fashion brands and retailers a burning issue.

No commodity is as poluting as cotton. About 10% of all agricultural chemicals worldwide is used for the growth of cotton. Resulting in negative impact on both the environment as on farmers (and their families) that use the chemicals. Cotton also has a heavy toll on water supply in Uzbekistan, Pakistan, China en India. Child labour, low prices and expensive agrochemicals result in heavy depts for cotton farmers.

Around 50% of all cotton is grown in developping countries and involves around 50 million small holders. Common issues are high costs, low incomes because of low market prices.

Due to these problems the market for biological and fair trade cotton has rapidly grown in the last couple of years and mainstream international fashion brands and retailers buy it. Nevertheless the forsight is that the market voor EKO and fair trade cotton will stay relativly small.

There is a need for initiatives that will help change the way conventional cotton is produced into a more sustainable way of producing . 

The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is a multistakeholder initiative that involve big multinational companies. Very promising are the activities of front runners of the BCI such as IKEA that show that going 100% sustainable can be cost efficient . IKEA has publicly announced it will go for 100% sustainable cotton in 2015. Hopefully other brands will follow the example of IKEA.

IDH development program

During the course of 2009, a group of private and public players wanted to speed up the implementation of the Better Cotton requirements. Therefore they developed a innovative demand driven strategy based upon the commitment of frontrunner brands and retailers to invest both in farmer support programs and in the procurement of mainstream volumes of Better Cotton.

Ikea, Levi Strauss & Co, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Ecom, WWF, ICCO, Rabobank Foundation, Solidaridad and IDH established the Better Cotton Fast Track Program (BCFTP) and a related fund and are inviting others to participate.

Objectives of the BCFTP
Creating demand for Better Cotton through brand and retailer involvement.
Creating supply of Better Cotton through producer support programs and enabling access to finance for Better Cotton producers
Connecting supply and demand through transparent supply chains.
Support and strengthen the BCI.
Facilitate collaborative learning and reflection on the effectiveness of BCI implementation in coordination with the BCI.

The BCFT Fund

Part of the Better Cotton Fast Track Program is a Fast Track Fund that is established to work a a catalyst for private sector initiatives and matches (to a maximum) contribution of the private sector to the project(s).

Targets are:

• Produce 1 million metric tons of Better Cotton lint by 2015.
• Decrease the use of peticides
• Better protection of employees
• Responsible watermanagement.

Ambitions:

2012:

• 2-3 pilots led by markt consortia: 100.000 tons sustainable cotton in the market

tot 2015:

• Produce 1 million metric tons of Better Cotton lint by 2015
• Tested and operational model for a susstainable cotton chain resulting in procurement strategies, transparancy and increased livelyhood for  cotton farmers
• Support programs for smallholders in India, China, Pakistan, Central Asia and Africa including capacity building and access to finance