Better Cotton Responds to Earthsight's Brazil Allegations, Boosts African Sustainability
Environmental watchdog Earthsight recently traced cotton from Brazil's Cerrado region to products sold by major retailers H&M and Zara, alleging environmental violations and land grabbing. Better Cotton, a global initiative focused on sustainability, has responded with plans to enhance traceability and support sustainable farming in African countries.
Earthsight's investigation, published in April, found cotton linked to the Cerrado region in Brazil being used in products sold by H&M and Zara. The report alleged environmental violations and land grabbing in the region. Better Cotton, which aims to make global cotton production sustainable, has since released details from an independent audit following Earthsight's report. The audit found no relation between Earthsight's accusations and the certified farms, concluding that there was no breach of Better Cotton's sustainability standards.
Better Cotton has acknowledged the need for wider scrutiny of producers and context beyond the farm-level. It has announced a project in West and Central Africa, funded by the African Export-Import Bank, to enhance understanding of smallholder farmers' needs and identify sustainable interventions. The project aims to support sustainable and regenerative cotton in Mali and Côte d'Ivoire. Better Cotton also plans to trace cotton to gins rather than country of origin by 2025 for increased traceability.
While Earthsight's allegations have been addressed by Better Cotton's audit, the organization has committed to wider scrutiny and improved traceability. Better Cotton's African project, supported by the African Export-Import Bank, aims to enhance sustainability and understanding of smallholder farmers' needs. The initiative plans to increase traceability by 2025, demonstrating a commitment to addressing environmental concerns in the cotton industry.
