NEW REPORT: Sustainable cotton production growing quickly as market uptake expands
Ottawa, June 30, 2020 – Voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) have quickly risen to cover a sizeable portion of the world’s most popular natural fibre for textiles—cotton—representing at least 14% of global production, according to a new report from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).
The report tracks how VSS-compliant cotton achieved a 48% compound annual growth rate from 2009 to 2016, largely driven by sector-specific standards such as the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) and Cotton made in Africa (CmiA).
“The cotton sector still faces a number of sustainability challenges, including low farm prices, often due to unfavourable trade terms, excessive water consumption, pesticide use, and the use of forced labour,” says co-author Steffany Bermudez, Data Collection and Analysis Specialist with IISD. “VSSs can provide guidance and resources to help cotton farmers address these challenges and contribute to moving the sector toward sustainability.”
Compliant farmers are often required to implement water management plans to promote efficient water extraction and irrigation. VSSs also require farmers to avoid hazardous chemicals and encourage integrated pest management practices. Certified cotton producers must also provide workers with a minimum wage and respect basic labour rights. “A recent peer comparison showed BCI-certified cotton producers in India used 19% less pesticide and 10% less water than conventional production,” says Bermudez.
The trend toward sustainability in cotton has great potential due to the sector’s global significance, especially in developing countries where the industry employs almost 7% of the entire labour force.
“Up to one billion people earn a living from the cotton sector, including 250 million people in processing and 100 million farmers globally,” Bermudez says. “About 90% of these farmers grow cotton on less than two hectares of land in developing countries, mainly Central and West Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa.”
Large textile and apparel brands are helping to drive demand for VSS-compliant cotton, as they try to meet consumer preferences (largely in Europe and North America) for more sustainable products while managing supply and reputational risks. Increased consumer awareness about cotton’s sustainability issues could boost demand from emerging economies.
Full report: Global Market Report: Cotton
ABOUT THE SUSTAINABLE COMMODITIES MARKETPLACE SERIES
The cotton report is seventh in IISD’s Sustainable Commodities Marketplace Series, which presents market performance and analysis on agricultural commodities to foster transparency, knowledge, and strategic decision making for sustainable development. The first six reports focused on bananas, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, sugar, and tea. An upcoming report will cover soybeans.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an independent think tank that delivers the knowledge to act. Our mission is to promote human development and environmental sustainability. Our big-picture view allows us to address the root causes of some of the greatest challenges facing our planet today—ecological destruction, social exclusion, unfair laws and economic and social rules, a changing climate. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, Toronto, and Beijing, our work impacts lives in nearly 100 countries.
For more information, please contact: media@iisd.org or +1 (613) 238 2296 ext. 114.