The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard includes Physical CoC Models to enable the tracing of Physical BCI Cotton as it flows through the supply chain.
Thanks to BCI Traceability, when sourcing products containing Physical BCI Cotton, the supply chain can see the country of origin of the cotton, and Retailer and Brands Members can see the route to market the cotton has taken. The map below shows the level of traceability in each country where BCI Traceability has been launched.
There are three Physical CoC Models to choose from: Segregation (single country), Segregation (multi-country) or Controlled Blending. Click below to read more about each model:
1) Segregation (single country)
Segregation (single country) requires separation of Physical BCI Cotton and conventional cotton from the farm level onwards. This model does not allow mixing or substitution between Physical BCI Cotton of different origins and conventional cotton of any origin throughout the supply chain. All organisations applying this model shall ensure that Physical BCI Cotton material from a single country is kept separate from all other cotton sources, including material from different BCI Cotton production countries.
2) Segregation (multi-country)
Segregation (multi-country) requires the separation of Physical BCI Cotton and conventional cotton from the farm level onwards and does not allow mixing or substitution between Physical BCI Cotton and conventional cotton throughout the supply chain. The model is applied when the Physical BCI Cotton originates from multiple (more than one) countries.
3) Controlled Blending
Controlled Blending is being introduced to assist supply chains in making the transition to sourcing and selling Physical BCI Cotton by anticipating that on a production site, demand may at times exceed supply.
The model allows the mixing of Physical BCI Cotton and conventional cotton within a production batch, resulting in a percentage claim about the proportion of Physical BCI Cotton used within the batch.
BCI Traceability launched in November 2023. Since then:
The following Retailer and Brand Members have signed up to source Physical BCI Cotton:
Are you interested in sourcing Physical BCI Cotton? Click below to find out how!
I’m a Retailer or Brand
Sourcing products containing Physical BCI Cotton is possible now – it requires identifying suitable programmes, identifying your suppliers to engage, and communicating requirements well in advance so the supply chain can prepare and source the required volumes and become certified.
To source Physical BCI Cotton, Retailer and Brand Members must pay a one-off Traceability Activation Fee. If you would like to use the BCI Cotton label on products containing Physical BCI Cotton sourced through a certified supply chain, you must become certified against the Chain of Custody Standard v1.1.
We have published Sourcing Guidance and other useful information on myBCI, and if you’d like to request a conversation with us, reach out here.
Useful Resources
- BCI Chain of Custody Standard v1.1
- BCI Claims Framework v4.0
- Certification FAQs: English, Mandarin, Portuguese
I’m a Supplier or Manufacturer
To source Physical BCI Cotton, supply chain organisations must be certified against the Chain of Custody Standard v1.0. Becoming certified allows you to meet growing demand for Physical BCI Cotton, source cotton with verified origin information, and demonstrate adherence to the CoC Standard v1.0.
Follow the 5 steps to certification below:
Supply chain organisations must already have a BCI Platform account before they can become certified. More information on how to get a BCI Platform account can be found on our Sourcing Mass Balance page.