CottonUP Guide Launched to Aid Sustainable Cotton Sourcing

A global coalition of cotton organizations have developed a new online tool to help brands and retailers quickly source sustainable cotton across multiple standards.

CottonUP – A Practical Guide to Sourcing More Sustainable Cotton addresses one of the main barriers for companies looking to start sourcing or increase the amounts of sustainable cotton they source, including the time and resources required to research and implement the best sourcing approach for their organization.

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The tool was launched at the Better Cotton Initiative’s recent 2018 Global Cotton Conference in Brussels.

The guide highlights the business case and main sourcing options for sustainable cotton, provides guidance on creating a sourcing strategy and working with suppliers, and shares case studies from companies that have already navigated the complex challenges of sourcing more sustainable cotton.

Brooke Summers, Cotton Australia’s Manager – Supply Chain Relationships, said it was important for a farming group such as Cotton Australia to be involved in the development of the guide.

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“This is the first time the major sustainable cotton standards have worked together,” she said. “Sustainability is not a competition, and it’s important for all of us to work alongside each other to encourage the uptake of sustainable cotton around the world,” she said.

“It’s been encouraging to see a number of Australian brands setting their own sustainability targets for cotton,” she added. “We’re keen to work with any brand in Australia that wants to start sourcing sustainable cotton, and the CottonUP guide is a great place to start.”

The CottonUP guide was developed by the Cotton 2040 coalition of leading brands and retailers including:

  • Retailers M&S, Target and Aditya Birla Fashion Retail Ltd
  • Industry standards Better Cotton Initiative and Cotton Made in Africa
  • Organic standards (represented by Textile Exchange) and Fairtrade
  • Industry initiatives Cotton Australia, CottonConnect, IDH – the sustainable trade initiative, Proudly Made in Africa, Organic Cotton Accelerator, MADE-BY and Centre for Sustainable Fashion at London College of Fashion.

Sustainability non-profit Forum for the Future led the work, with funding from the C&A Foundation.

 

Based on information provided by Cotton Australia

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