C&A commits to source more sustainable cotton by 2020

This commitment is supposed to help to drive sustainable practices across the sector. In turn, it aims to alleviate the environmental and social costs that are too often associated with cotton production, including the over-use of pesticides, the release of greenhouse gases, the depletion of local water sources and rising costs of production. 

"By joining this initiative we - as the world’s No 1 buyer of certified organic cotton and the world’s No 3 brand sourcing more sustainable cotton - have the opportunity to share our learnings with the industry on how to source and accelerate the use of more sustainable cotton. Our 2020 goal is for 100 per cent of the cotton we use to be more sustainable. Today, already over 70 per cent of the cotton we sell meets this standard," said Jeffrey Hogue, C&A’s global chief sustainability officer.

"The industry is awakening to the necessity of sustainably grown cotton. It is great to see additional brands joining this initiative to accelerate the momentum of cotton production in a way that will positively impact smallholder farmers, water quality and soil health," said La Rhea Pepper, managing director, Textile Exchange.

The initiative is being endorsed by several non-governmental and civil society organisations and standards agencies, including The Soil Association, Fairtrade Foundation, The Better Cotton Initiative, Cotton Made in Africa, CottonConnect, Textile Exchange, Cotton 2040, an initiative convened by Forum for the Future and The Pesticide Action Network. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India