Aid by Trade Foundation

👋 Is the first-ever Regenerative Cotton Standard (RCS) verified cotton in India on the horizon? 🌱The cotton harvest is in full swing, and just days ago, independant auditors conducted the first inspection of the RCS in Maharashtra. Our colleague Inka Sachse was on-site during the initial inspection days, where around 5,000 farmers are implementing RCS sustainability criteria, with an anticipated harvest of 4,000 tons of lint cotton. Based on what we've observed, we are optimistic that the cotton can be labelled with a RCS certificate from the independent certification bodies! 🚀 The positive verification would mark a major milestone for our Regenerative Cotton Standard which represents a holistic approach to enhancing sustainability in the cotton and textile industry, especially in the face of climate change, and complements the achievements by Cotton made in Africa and Cotton made in Africa Organic. 🔎 After reviewing documents and gaining an overview, auditors visited the fields and engaged in valuable discussions with farmers and field managers to assess the implementation of RCS criteria. We are grateful for the dedication of the farmers, field managers and our implementation partner Vijay Shah, whose commitment has propelled this project forward. We look forward to opening a new chapter in sustainable cotton farming in India and for the entire industry! 📖 🇮🇳 Stay tuned for more updates on RCS in India! Bureau Veritas Group #RegenerativeCottonStandard #AidByTradeFoundation #SustainableCotton #SustainableFashion #sustainability #RegenerativeAgriculture #EcoFriendly

Reflecting on the first year of cooperation between TextileGenesis and GCS, we are happy to welcome Jack Wyse among our speakers at the The Good Cashmere Conference in March 2025. Jack is a seasoned expert with over a decade of experience in sustainable retail. For the past two years, he has served as a thought leader in traceability at TextileGenesis, where he spearheads advancements in supply chain transparency and sustainability innovation. ➡️ Stay tuned for more information on our LinkedIn channel and visit our conference page to apply for early bird tickets: https://lnkd.in/eM4ga49n

🌱Cotton Farmers in Benin Benefit From Organic Cotton Cultivation Three years ago, we launched the “Growing Benin's Organic Cotton Sector” project aimed at supporting small-scale farmers in transitioning to organic cotton cultivation. The aim was to enhance household incomes, eliminating synthetic pesticides, and fostering the organic cotton sector to secure the future of farming communities. 🚀 We're thrilled to announce that the project has been a resounding success! Nearly 9,000 farmers have benefited, more than doubling the number of cotton farmers growing organic cotton in Benin. 💶📈 Thanks to a wide range of support measures, the farmers have experienced significant income increases—organic cotton production verified under CmiA Organic grew by 65% over three years, with small-scale farm profitability rising by an average of 9%. 💡 Our efforts also focused on knowledge transfer through training, workshops, and events, covering essential topics like organic pest management and seed varieties. ♀️Importantly, we empowered women, resulting in a 30% increase in women holding leadership positions within cooperative committees by the project’s end. Due to these positive outcomes, we are excited to announce that the project will now enter its second phase! 🌍💚 Marco Baenninger from Reinhart: “In addition to CmiA Organic from Tanzania, which has been an integral part of the supply chain for several years, we are now able to offer another origin with Benin CmiA Organic Cotton, which is known for its excellent quality characteristics." Rajan Bhopal, International Project Manager, Pesticide Action Network UK, is pleased with the results of the project: "This project demonstrates the impact that high-quality farmer support has on supporting cotton farmers livelihoods and resilience. By adopting agroecological practices and locally-produced bio-inputs, organic farmers in Benin are growing healthy crops with much lower costs, leading to significantly improved income, better health and improved soils. Through local research collaborations we are supporting pioneering work to further improve yields through better variety selection for organic growing conditions." A heartfelt thank you to our partners: #OBEPAB Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Pesticide Action Network UK and Reinhart for their invaluable support. We look forward to the next phase Delphine Bodjrenou, (PhD) Alessandra Fiedler Nina Hollemann Beatrice Haller Rajan Bhopal Alexander Stuart Marco Baenninger Philippe Saner Alexandra Perschau Prudence Gbeada Epse KOKODE Assia Longlade #CottonMadeInAfrica #CmiAOrganic #OrganicCotton #SustainableFarming #Empowerment #Benin #CmiAOrganic #growingtogether #AidByTradeFoundation

🌍🤝 A Source of Inspiration and Accelerating Exchange – Highlights from Our Regional Workshop in Zambia! 📕 Over two inspiring days, partnering cotton companies explored innovative strategies to enhance community engagement and participatory monitoring of biodiversity. The discussions were rich with insights on the outcomes and impacts of collaborative efforts aimed to identify the best methods to strengthen farmers’ resilience. 🌱A highlight of the workshop was a field trip organized by Alliance Zambia to visit organic farmers in Chongwe. The group engaged in thought-provoking discussions and witnessed firsthand how these farmers cultivate organic cotton - also in light of the growing challenges posed by climate change. They showcased sustainable practices, including land preparation, seed treatment with manure, pest scouting, and creating organic insecticides from neem and manure. To top it off, everyone had the chance to produce biochar from cotton stalks, demonstrating innovative ways to utilize resources sustainably. Our colleague Elena Wahrenberg who joined the workshop together with Britta Deutsch and Nina Schöttle concluded: „The Regional Workshop in Lusaka was an inspiring experience that brought us closer to both the challenges and the innovative solutions in cotton cultivation. Particularly impressive was the exchange with the organic farmers and the practical demonstrations that showed us how sustainable practices can preserve biodiversity.” Regional Workshops by AbTF are organized regularly and serve as a platform for mutual learning, sharing experiences, and building strong partnerships on the ground. 💡 We can’t wait for our next Regional Workshop! Stay tuned for more updates. A heartfelt thank you to Alliance Zambia Munir Zaveri Umair Zaveri Mwenya Musonda and more for their invaluable support during this workshop, as well as to all our partners and experts who joined us for this impactful event! 🙏 Ben Sekamatte fortune masuka Tawanda Mutonhori Oscar Manjoro Ivans Trigo Popinsky Amílcar Monforte #biodiversity #climatechange #communityengagement #cottonmadeinafrica #aidbytradefoundation #sustainablecotton

🌱 Today, we celebrate World Soil Day, held annually on December 5th, to highlight the critical importance of healthy soil and advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources—especially in light of the increasing impacts of climate change. 👩🏾🌾🧑🏿🌾 Upon returning from recent visits to Côte d'Ivoire and Mozambique, our colleagues Alexandra Perschau and Inka Sachse had the opportunity to engage directly with cotton farmers and partners, learning first-hand how investing in sustainable farming techniques and healthy soils, such as #biochar, is benefiting both farmers and nature in the face of climate change. 🎞️To enhance knowledge about #healthysoils among farmers implementing the #RegenerativeCottonStandard and #CottonmadeinAfrica, the #AidbyTradeFoundation is excited to launch its new training video on soil assessment. This practical approach helps assess the conditions and health of soil in smallholder cotton farming, enabling farmers to monitor their soils and identify problems and nutrient deficiencies with minimal investment. We thereby support this year's theme: "Caring for Soils: Measure, Monitor, Manage," which emphasizes the necessity of accurate soil data and information to understand soil characteristics. This knowledge is crucial for informed decision-making regarding sustainable soil management, vital not only for food security but also for a sustainable future for farming communities from various perspectives. Check out our latest video here, or visit our dedicated pages on the CmiA and RCS websites for more information 👇 💡 New Learning Video on #soilhealth: https://lnkd.in/eP7v78B6 💡 Regenerative Cotton Standard: https://lnkd.in/eBv3EHRq 💡Cotton made in Africa: https://lnkd.in/eYNhTKkU A heartful thank you goes to our partners engaging with us on healthy soils - among others Olam Agri Mahesh Ramakrishnan Partheeban Theodore Jean-François Touré Mayank Baheti Paulin DAPLÉ Sociedade Algodoeira do Niassa -JFS, SA Zaqueu Mario Ivans Trigo Popinsky Joaquim de Sousa Júnior Manuel Delgado Estêvão Gidião Nguenha Malé KARAMOKO COULIBALY Jean Baptiste Adama Konate Josia Nyamien; Oumar Napo Diarrassouba Fatogoma Cláudia Pita-Grós Tahirou KONE Dr. Lacina SORO OUATTARA Mohamed African Cotton Foundation Belinda Edmonds Vijay Shah Thérèse KOUAME #WorldSoilDay #ClimateChange #RegenerativeAgriculture #Biochar #Biodiversity #FoodProduction #ClimateResilience #SoilErosion #SustainableCotton

❓How can we use knowledge of goat behaviour and cognition to promote positive welfare? ❓What are the opportunities and challenges behind herding systems in different areas? ❓How can the climate impact for animal fibres be reduced? Join us as we dive deep into critical questions surrounding animal welfare and sustainable practices in the cashmere industry with our three esteemed experts who will share their insights at The Good Cashmere Conference in March 2025: Dr Alan McElligott, Associate Professor of Animal Behaviour and Welfare at the City University of Hong Kong. Anna Heaton - Strategy Lead: Animal Materials at Textile Exchange Figo Li - Animal Welfare Expert from China Don't miss out on this opportunity to engage with thought leaders in the field and contribute to the conversation on improving animal welfare! Interested in learning more? Come and join us at the conference and apply for tickets via Conference: https://lnkd.in/eM4ga49n

🤝The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) enters into a new partnership with TextileGenesis 👩💻🔍TextileGenesis’ pioneering traceability platform empowers brands to confidently verify the origins of CmiA verified cotton, ensuring accurate sustainability claims while improving annual reporting. 💚🙌Through this new partnership, retailers and brands can benefit from two established tracking systems that provide transparency for CmiA-verified cotton from field to fashion, offering great flexibility in tracking their cotton. Those already collaborating with TextileGenesis benefit from using a single platform to manage traceability across multiple material sustainability standards, including Cotton made in Africa®. This streamlined approach improves efficiency and creates synergies across the supply chain. Others can continue to rely on CmiA's own established SCOT system to monitor CmiA-verified cotton throughout their entire textile supply chain. 🐐This continuation of their collaboration builds on the success of the previous collaboration between TextileGenesis and AbTF on The Good Cashmere Standard®, focused on enhancing traceability within sustainable cashmere production, which was launched earlier in 2024. #traceability #transparency #textilegenesis #aidbytradefoundation #cottonmadeinafrica #supplychain #thegoodcashmerestandard

🌍👗 Today, we celebrate a decade of the partnership for sustainable textiles. Since 2014, it has played a vital role in transforming global supply chains for the better. 🌱👷♀️What has been achieved so far: With its 120 members, the alliance has recognized potential for change and implemented improvements as a strong coalition of government, business, civil society, and trade unions. The alliance, whose members account for 45% of the revenue in the German textile market, has contributed to the introduction of the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and other EU regulations, aiming to improve the living and working conditions of tens of thousands of people. 21 alliance initiatives were implemented, including 10 projects that have already been completed 👩🌾Which part is AbTF playing in it: The Aid by Trade Foundation contributes to the work of the alliance as a member of the "Standard Organizations" stakeholder group and the "Gender Equality" strategy circle. Within this framework, we outline the content and strategic direction of the group’s key topic, and additionally provide advice and support to the alliance secretariat in its interactions with other initiatives and stakeholders. This collaborative approach ensures that our efforts are aligned and effective in driving positive change in the industry. Currently, we are supporting women's clubs in Zambia to help them generate income and improve their living standards and those of their families. This iniative is supported by S.OLIVER GROUP 🎉At today's anniversary event at the Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ), our dedicated colleague Nina Schöttle celebrated our achievements to date with many members. Because we can achieve more together, we will continue to campaign for fair and sustainable supply chains in the future. 💪 #AidByTradeFoundation #CottonMadeInAfrica #WomenEmpowerment #10JahreTextilbündnis #10JahreBNT Bündnis für nachhaltige Textilien (Partnership for Sustainable Textiles) Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH

🟢🎉 5 Years Green Button We are happy to celebrate a pioneering initiative that has been instrumental in driving sustainability within the textile industry - the Green Button initiated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. Since its launch on September 9, 2019, the Green Button has set out to make a significant impact, and we are proud to be part of this journey with our Cotton made in Africa standard for sustainable cotton, which has been a registered standard since 2022 in the Green Button meta-label approach. Over the past five years, more than 100 companies, both small and large, have embraced the corporate due diligence requirements of the Green Button. Together with other certification seals, we have raised the bar for production standards across the supply chain, demanding higher accountability and responsibility. Most importantly, the initiative has empowered consumers by introducing over 425 million Green Button textiles, guiding them towards a more sustainable economy and lifestyle. Here’s to the continued journey of transforming the textile industry for the better! 💚🌱 🎊 Cheers to Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and Green Button #GreenButton #GrünerKnopf #Sustainability #TextileIndustry #CottonMadeInAfrica #ResponsibleCommerce #SustainableFashion

CmiA Field Trip to Benin: Bridging Connections & Uniting Stakeholders on the Ground Last month, we had the pleasure of celebrating collaboration and driving change during an inspiring Cotton made in Africa Field Trip to Benin. This experience allowed us to trace the journey from finished textile products back to the organic cotton fields. After visiting the newly built textile factory near Cotonou, the visit provided a remarkable opportunity to witness how a strong coalition and shared investments in organic cotton farming techniques as well as sustainable ginning processes contribute to establish a gowing organic cotton sector in Benin. These efforts are essential for creating a climate-resilient and transparent cotton industry where farmers stand in the center of joint engagement and profit from it. We met small-scale farmers who grow cotton according to the CmiA Organic standard and their communities, observe firsthand how the adoption of CmiA organic farming techniques has led to an increase in profitability as well as women empowerment and engaged with workers at the ginning factory of CmiA partner Sodeco allowing us for meaningful discussions on implementing decent working conditions and health and safety measures in accordance with CmiA standards. Our colleagues Alexandra Perschau and Gerlind Bäz were fortunate that Delphine Bodjrenou, (PhD) from OBEPAB, Alessandra Fiedler from Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH, Lorena Ruiz from International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), Belinda Edmonds from African Cotton Foundation, Prudence Gbeada Epse KOKODE and Assia Longlade from Sodeco accompanied them on the trip and joined for invaluable expertise and leadership that enriched the field trip, making it both educational and inspiring. A heartfelt thank you goes out to the organic cotton farmers and ginnery workers who are the backbone of cotton production, as well as to our partners from OBEPAB and SODECO for their guidance on the ground. 💡Stay tuned for more information about our organic cotton project activities in Benin we roll out together with our partners from OBEPAB, Pesticide Action Network UK as well as Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH with funds from Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) and last but not least cotton trader Reinhart. 🎤Feel free to reach out with questions or interview requests if you want to know more. #OrganicCotton #CottonMadeInAfricaOrganic #SmallHolderFarmers #Africa