myBetterCotton
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Audience: Retailers & Brands

Slide

Audience: Retailers & Brands

‘Transparency Is Not Optional Anymore’

‘Transparency Is Not Optional Anymore’

Rogerio Simoes on August 13, 2025

Alexander Ellebrecht at the Better Cotton Conference 2025 Day One: Networking Dinner Photo credit: Better Cotton/Evronas. Location: İzmir, Türkiye, 2025.

Alexander Ellebrecht, Account Executive at Source Intelligence

Source Intelligence was Sponsor at the Better Cotton Conference 2025 in İzmir, Türkiye

At Source Intelligence, we help companies strengthen supply chain visibility and compliance through two complementary platforms. C Map enables organizations to meet complex regulatory requirements by leveraging bill of materials (BOM) data across multiple tiers of their supply chain. ChainPoint serves standards and scheme holders, supporting first-mile traceability and capturing critical data that is often difficult to obtain. We are now integrating these platforms. This will deliver deeper transparency and greater value, not only for standards organizations, members, and stakeholders, but also for shareholders. Because today, transparency is not optional anymore.

Better Cotton’s Phased Approach

Better Cotton has taken a thoughtful, step-by-step approach to building traceability using ChainPoint. They started with ginner-to-spinner traceability, then gradually extended the scope and introduced more detailed claim types. Several years ago, the system was based largely on a mass balance approach—a method that allows Better Cotton Claim Units (BCCUs) to be traded through the supply chain while maintaining an associated sustainability claim, even if the cotton is mixed with conventional sources. In recent years, the demand for visibility has grown. More companies now want to know with certainty: “Is this 100% Better Cotton that we are buying?”

This shift has led to the adoption of segregated models, which keep Better Cotton physically separate from conventional cotton throughout the chain. These models provide higher transparency and stronger claims. It’s a journey Better Cotton is still on—and one we are proud to support.

Impact and Transparency where it matters

The cotton industry is aware of its impact. We hear many farmer stories, of farmers who could improve their production with training and support from Better Cotton. Topics like irrigation, regenerative agriculture, are addressed, and it’s good to discuss this with the sector at the Better Cotton conference. These discussions help retailers and companies, at the end of the supply chain, understand the problems on the ground, while also creating opportunities for more collaboration.

With the existence of social media, companies are becoming increasingly responsible and accountable for their supply chain activities. We also see some government regulations and compliance topics, so there is really a driver for transparency. Transparency will not go away. It will stay on the agenda.

One principle I particularly appreciate is controlled transparency. This means not every piece of information is available to everyone, but rather that access is purposeful and relevant. This approach fosters trust, encourages openness, and enables more efficient collaboration.

Proud of Progress, Committed to More

We should be proud of how far we’ve come, but we must also keep asking: What can we do better? By applying proven quality management practices, we can work more efficiently, accelerate progress, and deliver lasting improvements. We’re also seeing strong growth in the collection and management of reliable data. Automation is making documentation less of a burden and more of an opportunity—helping people focus on insight and action rather than paperwork. 

The Better Cotton Conference matters because it’s ultimately about people. Progress in supply chains depends on collaboration, and while we have many digital tools—Zoom, Teams, and others—that make connecting easier, nothing replaces the depth of understanding that comes from meeting in person.

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Alia Malik Appointed to The Board of International Cotton Association (ICA)

Julia Thordsson on November 21, 2022

We are pleased to announce that our Senior Director, Data and Traceability, Alia Malik, has joined the International Cotton Association (ICA) as a new board member. The ICA is an international cotton trade association and arbitral body and was set up 180 years ago in 1841 in Liverpool, UK.

The mission of ICA is to protect the legitimate interests of all those who trade cotton, whether buyer or seller. It has more than 550 members from around the world and it represents all sectors of the supply chain. According to the ICA, the majority of the world’s cotton is traded internationally under ICA Bylaws & Rules.

I am delighted to join the board of one of the oldest organisations in the sector. Trade is crucial to driving demand for more sustainable cotton, and I am looking forward to contributing to ICA’s work

Alia Malik, Senior Director, Data and Traceability, Better Cotton

Comprising 24 board members, the new board “continues to represent the ICA’s global membership across all sectors of the supply chain and builds on its commitment to engage the entire global cotton community.”

Read more about the new ICA leadership team here.

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Insights from our Supply Chain Mapping Efforts

Julia Thordsson on November 15, 2022

Photo Credit: Better Cotton/Eugénie Bacher. Harran, Turkey, 2022. Cotton going through a ginning machine, Mehmet Kızılkaya Tekstil.
Nick Gordon, Traceability Programme Officer at Better Cotton

By Nick Gordon, Traceability Programme Officer, Better Cotton

Cotton can be one of the most challenging commodities to trace. The geographical journey of a cotton t-shirt can span three continents before it reaches the shop floor, often changing hands seven times or more. Agents, intermediaries and traders operate at every stage, providing fundamental services from assessing quality to linking farmers and other players to markets. And there’s no one clear path – cotton bales from different countries can be spun into the same yarn and sent to multiple different mills to be woven into fabric. This makes it challenging to trace the cotton in any given product back to its source.

To enable the physical tracing of cotton, Better Cotton is developing its own traceability capability through the existing Better Cotton Platform, set to launch in late-2023. To support this, we’ve created a series of supply chain maps to better understand the realities of key cotton trading countries. We’ve used data insights, stakeholder interviews, and the experiences of local supply chain actors to shed light on how things work in different countries and regions, and identify the key challenges to traceability.

Central to the programme will be our evolving Chain of Custody Standard (which is currently out for public consultation). This will prompt operational changes for manufacturers and traders alike. It’s vital the Standard acknowledges regional variation and is achievable for suppliers in the Better Cotton network. We’ll keep applying the knowledge and lessons we’re learning to ensure any changes meet the wants and needs of Better Cotton stakeholders.

What have we learnt so far?

Informal economies play an important role in Better Cotton producing countries

Photo Credit: Better Cotton/Eugénie Bacher. Harran, Turkey, 2022. Better Cotton bales, Mehmet Kızılkaya Tekstil.

It’s no secret that enabling traceability is more straightforward in larger, vertically integrated supply networks. The fewer times material changes hands, the shorter the paper trail, and the greater likelihood of being able to trace cotton back to its source. However, not all transactions are equally documentable, and the reality is that informal work acts as a crucial support mechanism for many smaller actors, connecting them with resources and markets.

Traceability should empower people who are already often marginalised by global supply chains and protect smallholders’ access to markets. Engaging with stakeholders and responding to their needs and concerns is a critical first step in making sure these voices don’t go unheard.

It’s important to create the right digital solutions

New, innovative technology solutions are available for use in the cotton supply chain – everything from smart devices and GPS technology on farms to state-of-the-art integrated computer systems on the factory floor. However, not all actors in the sector – many of whom are smallholder farmers or small to medium-sized businesses – have embraced technology to the same extent. When introducing a digital traceability system, we need to consider varying levels of digital literacy, and make sure any system we introduce is readily understandable and easy to use, while also fitting the needs of users. In particular, we’re conscious that the gaps are greatest at the early stages of the supply chain, among cotton farms and ginners, for example. Yet it’s precisely at these stages that we need the most accurate data – this is essential to ensuring physical traceability.

Better Cotton will be testing two new traceability platforms in an India pilot this year. Prior to roll out of any new digital system, capacity building and training will be crucial.

Economic challenges are changing behaviours in the marketplace

Photo Credit: Better Cotton/Eugénie Bacher. Harran, Turkey, 2022. Pile of cotton, Mehmet Kızılkaya Tekstil.

The impact of the pandemic, coupled with challenging economic conditions, are changing behaviours in cotton supply chains. For example, in light of fluctuating cotton prices, yarn producers in certain countries are replenishing stocks at a more cautious pace than others. Some suppliers are concentrating on long-term supplier relationships, or searching for new supply networks. Predicting how much customers might order is becoming less easy, and for many, margins remain low.

Amid this uncertainty, the opportunity to sell physically traceable cotton could offer a market advantage. So, in the same way that cultivating Better Cotton helps farmers to achieve better prices for their cotton – 13% more for their cotton than conventional cotton farmers in Nagpur, according to a Wageningen University study – traceability also presents a real opportunity to create further value for Better Cotton Farmers. For example, carbon insetting frameworks, underpinned by a traceability solution, could reward farmers for implementing sustainable practices. Better Cotton is already engaging with all stakeholders across the supply chain to understand the business case for traceability and identify ways to increase value for members.

Get involved

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Better Cotton’s Chain of Custody models are changing to enable traceability, and we want your input

Joe Morphet on October 20, 2022

Photo Credit: Better Cotton/Demarcus Bowser Location: Burlison, Tennessee, USA. 2019. Description: Cotton bales being transported from Brad Williams’ farm. Brad Williams participates in Better Cotton as Kelley Enterprises, which includes the farm operation, the Burlison Gin Company and Kelcot Warehouse.

The biggest change to Better Cotton’s Chain of Custody model in over a decade is coming, and we want you to help us shape it.

In late 2022, a new Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard—previously called the “CoC Guidelines”—will make important changes to the requirements that apply to all registered organisations operating in the Better Cotton supply chain.

In consultation with key stakeholders, Better Cotton periodically reviews and revises its CoC requirements to ensure its ongoing relevance, ability to connect demand with supply of Better Cotton, and support and incentivise farmers to adopt more sustainable practices.

The public consultation on the new CoC Standard is now live and is expected to conclude on 25 November 2022.

Access the consultation, documents and related resources here

The proposed new standard is based on the final recommendations made by Chain of Custody Task Force that has worked to examine and recommend changes to version 1.4 of the CoC Guidelines in order to provide opportunities to physically trace Better Cotton. The Task Force includes Better Cotton’s member representatives from across the supply chain, including retailers and brands, ginners, spinners and traders.

Among other proposed changes, the draft introduces three new traceability models (in addition to Mass Balance): Segregation (Single Country), Segregation (Multi-Country) and Controlled Blending. Management system requirements have been harmonised, making it possible for suppliers to operate multiple CoC models at the same site.

This is your opportunity to shape improvements to the CoC, and ensure it is practical and achievable. Better Cotton needs to understand how ready supply chains are for this change, what support is needed, and whether the CoC Standard is feasible for suppliers.

For more information

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T-MAPP: Informing Targeted Action on Pesticide Poisoning

Joe Morphet on October 4, 2022

Acute, unintentional pesticide poisoning is widespread among farmers and farm workers, with smallholder cotton farmers in developing countries particularly affected. Yet the full extent of health effects remains poorly understood.

Here, Better Cotton Council Member and Pesticide Action Network (PAN) UK International Project Manager, Rajan Bhopal, explains how a ground-breaking app stands to capture the human impact of pesticide poisoning. Rajan presented T-MAPP at the Better Conference in June 2022 during a lively ‘disruptors’ session.

Rajan Bhopal speaking at the Better Cotton Conference in Malmö, Sweden, in June 2022

Why is the issue of pesticide poisoning largely invisible?

The term ‘pesticides’ covers a huge range of products containing varied chemistry, meaning the many signs and symptoms of poisoning can be difficult for clinicians to diagnose if they are not aware of the issue. In addition, many farmers suffer health impacts without seeking treatment, particularly in remote, rural areas, where communities lack access to affordable medical services. Too many cotton producers accept these effects as part of the job. And we know that where incidents are diagnosed by clinicians, they’re often not recorded systematically or shared with government ministries responsible for health and agriculture.

Existing health monitoring surveys can be challenging to conduct, analyse and report on. That’s why we’ve developed T-MAPP – a digital monitoring system that accelerates data collection and provides rapid analysis that turns data into accurate results on how pesticides are affecting farmers’ lives.

Tell us more about your new pesticide app

The T-MAPP app

Known as T-MAPP, our app makes data collection on pesticides poisoning more efficient, enabling field facilitators and others to collect comprehensive data on the products, practices and locations that are linked to high rates of serious pesticide poisoning. This includes detailed information farms and crops, use of protective equipment, particular pesticides and how they’re being applied, and health impacts within 24 hours of exposure. Once the data is collected and uploaded, T-MAPP allows survey managers to see analysed results in real-time via an online dashboard. Importantly, this knowledge can be harnessed to identify which pesticide products are causing poisoning and inform more targeted support.

What have you discovered so far?

Using T-MAPP, we have interviewed 2,779 cotton producers in India, Tanzania and Benin. Cotton farmers and workers are suffering widespread pesticide poisoning with significant impacts on wellbeing and livelihoods. On average, two in five had suffered pesticide poisoning in the past year. Severe symptoms of poisoning were common. Some 12% of farmers reporting severe effects that include, for example, seizures, loss of vision, or persistent vomiting.

What is being done with this information, or how could it be used?

It’s helping us understand the extent and severity of acute pesticide poisoning and find ways to tackle the issue. In some countries, regulators have used the app to monitor pesticides post-registration. In Trinidad, for example, certain pesticides could be banned for causing high rates of poisoning. Sustainability organisations are using the app to identify high risk practices and target their farmer capacity building efforts. In India, for example, the data has helped Better Cotton to focus an awareness campaign on the risks of pesticide mixtures. Elsewhere, similar surveys in Kurdistan led governments to taking action to prevent children’s exposure and involvement in pesticide spraying.

What is your message for brands and retailers?

Invest in understanding and addressing the health and environmental issues in the cotton sector, include misuse of pesticides, which are likely to be occurring in your supply chain. And by supporting high-quality capacity building programmes, you’ll be helping to protect farmers’ health, livelihoods and ability to cultivate cotton in the future.

Find out more

For more information on how Better Cotton addresses crop protection risks, visit our Pesticides and Crop Protection page.

For more information on T-MAPP, visit Pesticide Action Network (PAN) UK’s website.

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Transformers Foundation Report Looks at Cotton Myths and Misinformation

Joe Morphet on October 8, 2021

A new report published by Transformers Foundation investigates the use – and misuse – of data on the sustainability of the cotton sector, and aims to equip brands, journalists, NGOs, consumers, suppliers and others with the skills and understanding to use data accurately and transparently.

The report, Cotton: A Case Study in Misinformation debunks some of the commonly-shared ‘facts’ about cotton and textile production, such as the idea that cotton is an inherently ‘thirsty crop’, or the amount of water required to create a t-shirt. It also addresses commonly-cited claims about the use of pesticides in cotton farming. In both cases – water and pesticides – the report aims to provide current and accurate claims along with advice on how to use them without misleading audiences.

Damien Sanfilippo, Better Cotton’s Senior Director, Programmes contributed to the report and is quoted throughout:

“Everybody has an interest in data. And that’s good, because it means that everybody has an interest in sustainable development. But using data correctly is a skill. Right? And it needs to be done in a scientific manner.”

Damien Sanfilippo, Senior Director, Programmes at Better Cotton

The authors end with a set of calls-to-action, including to:

  • Send in information and new data to the foundation
  • Make data about environmental impacts open-source and publicly available
  • Co-invest in filling in data gaps
  • Establish a global fashion fact-checker

Read the report here.

Transformers Foundation ‘represents the denim supply chain: from farmers and chemical suppliers to denim mills and jeans factories’.

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