The Better Cotton report highlights key achievements from the 2023-24 cotton season, including sustainability milestones, programme growth, and insights into the organisation’s evolving standards for the future.
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.”
Better cotton's global impact and expansion
In the 2022-23 season, Better Cotton produced 5.47m metric tonnes (MT), representing 22% of global cotton volumes across 22 countries.
Out of 2.43m farmers who received training, more than 2.13m received a licence 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.
Despite challenges such as flooding in Pakistan which led to a significant drop in licensed farmers and volumes of Better Cotton produced and pest infestations in Mali that affected up to 50% of the country’s cotton crop, Better Cotton saw substantial gains in other regions.
Farmer numbers grew significantly in Africa, with the region seeing a rise from 570,000 to over 610,000 licensed Better Cotton farmers, in partnership with Cotton Made in Africa (CmiA).
Brazil, the largest Better Cotton producer, increased its licensed cotton output from 1.97m MT to 2.64m MT, while India also experienced growth, with yields rising to 917,000 MT.
Elsewhere, the 2022-23 cotton season was one of continued growth for several countries including the USA, Australia, Turkey, Egypt, Israel and Greece.
Key initiatives and Better Cotton membership growth
Better Cotton welcomed 311 new members in 2023. Notably, the organisation launched Better Cotton Traceability, a solution that allows members to trace cotton back to its country of origin, enhancing transparency within the supply chain.
Better Cotton expanded its global reach with new programmes 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 revealed impressive results, such as a 53% reduction in pesticide use and a 15.6% decrease in overall farming costs. These outcomes underscore Better Cotton’s commitment to promoting sustainable farming practices and improving the livelihoods of cotton farmers.
New standards for a sustainable future
In a move to strengthen its sustainability framework, Better Cotton recently launched public consultations for revisions to its Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard and Claims Framework. These updates, which are key to the organisation’s transition to a certification scheme, will enable brands to market products containing traceable Better Cotton under a new label, ensuring legislative compliance and credibility.
The new label, part of the upcoming Claims Framework v.4.0, will allow for greater transparency and accountability in sourcing Physical (Traceable) Better Cotton. The revised CoC Standard introduces stricter obligations for brands, ensuring that they meet evolving regulatory standards.
The consultation on these updates is open until 20 November 2024, inviting feedback from stakeholders to shape the future of Better Cotton’s certification processes.
The organisation shared it is also working on evolving its assurance programme to an accredited certification scheme, where all licensing decisions will be carried out by independent, third parties moving forward to further strengthen the credibility of its assurance activities and the Better Cotton label.
