BCI works with members across the cotton supply chain and beyond to ensure there is continuous demand for and supply of Better Cotton – cotton produced by licensed BCI farmers in line with the Better Cotton Principles and Criteria.

New members in the first half of 2021 included 22 retailers and brands from 13 countries, 165 suppliers and manufacturers, and one civil society organisation.

BCI retailer and brand members that joined in the first half of 2021 also include Albert Heijn, Distribuidora Liverpool SA de CV, DXL Group, Happy Socks, Hush, Jacobson Group, Jockey International, Inc, Just Jeans Pty Ltd, Kingfisher plc, Les Deux, Message, Myntra Jabong India Pvt Ltd, ONESIKKS, Ripley Corp SA, RNA Resources Group Ltd, Tally Weijl Trading AG, The Ragged Priest, Tokmanni, and Wibra Supermarkt BV.

BCI’s demand-driven funding model means that its retailer and brand member sourcing of cotton as Better Cotton directly translates into increased investment in training for cotton farmers on more sustainable practices, BCI says.

The total uptake of Better Cotton by BCI retailer and brand members in 2020 surpassed 1.7m metric tonnes – a record for BCI. At the time of writing, collective Better Cotton uptake by such members has already surpassed 946,000 metric tonnes this year, on track to exceed the 2020 uptake if sourcing continues at the current rate.

In addition to new retailers, new supplier and manufacturer members joined from 27 countries, including Bulgaria, El Salvador, Mexico, Singapore, and Tunisia. Suppliers and manufacturers support the transformation of the cotton sector by joining BCI and sourcing increased volumes of Better Cotton for BCI retailer and brand members – forming a critical link between Better Cotton supply and demand.

At the end of the first half of 2021, BCI’s membership has grown to include more than 2,200 members.

“Through BCI we are making a difference in farming communities around the world where we source our cotton. This holistic approach teaches farmers how to improve their yields and protect the environment where they work and live. Safety and trust are the core values of Gerber Childrenswear and we take pride in supporting the BCI principles. We are committed to sourcing 50% of our cotton as Better Cotton by 2026,” Gerber’s Childrenswear LLC said in a statement.

BCI recently began to explore how Worker Voice Technology can be used to better understand working practices and labour risks, and to inform assessments and capacity building.

By Just Style