Tina Stridde, the managing director of the Aid by Trade Foundation and of its CmiA initiative, is pleased with the new partnerships, saying, “Only with committed partners at our side can we advocate together for small-scale farmers in Africa, their families, and the responsible production of our raw materials now and in the future. Our recent growth shows that companies from around the world, whether small brands or global enterprises, can achieve their own sustainability goals through Cotton made in Africa and make them visible to their customers.”

“Cotton made in Africa has impressed us,” comments Shinsegae International Co-CEO and Head of Jaju division Lee Seock-koo. “The standard addresses both social and ecological aspects of sustainable cotton production. This allows us to source our textiles sustainably and to offer our customers what they are increasingly looking for: a sustainable alternative to conventional goods.”

As one of the world’s leading initiatives for sustainably produced cotton in Africa, Cotton made in Africa represents a socially and environmentally responsible basis for the global textile chain. It gives a face to the small-scale farmers who form the bedrock of the fashion industry. Working in accordance with the Cotton made in Africa standard, some one million small-scale farmers from ten countries in Sub-Saharan Africa currently account for around 30 percent of African cotton production. According to the most recent study results, CmiA cotton has a significantly smaller ecological footprint than the global average. With greenhouse gas emissions at 13 percent below the global average for cotton cultivation, CmiA cotton also contributes less to climate change [1].