Better Cotton’s commitment to ensuring that claims made about our work and that of our partners and members are credible, transparent, and accurate is crucial for maintaining trust and accountability.
When companies or individuals make statements about their involvement with Better Cotton, it’s important that these claims reflect the true nature of their commitments and the real impact of their actions.
Our focus on communication helps to build trust with stakeholders, including consumers, partners, and communities. It also ensures that the progress being made towards our mission of sustaining cotton production is accurately represented and that the true impact of Better Cotton’s initiatives is communicated clearly and effectively.
Better Cotton Claims Framework
The Better Cotton Claims Framework is one component of the Better Cotton Standard System. It is created through a multi-stakeholder consultation process and is subject to an annual update.
No member is obliged to make any claims about Better Cotton. However, should they wish to communicate about their commitment, the Claims Framework is the set of guidelines which provides guidance and rules to ensure they can do so in a credible and positive way.
Claims are available according to a member’s eligibility, which can be found within the Claims Framework. It also includes the approval process for making a claim, as well as the corrective action plan process and steps taken by Better Cotton when misleading, unauthorised claims are found.
We also have other communications tools available for our members, such as our Marketing Toolkit for Retailer and Brand Members (coming April 2025) as well as a selection of images, ready-made materials, and videos highlighting the work being done at the farm level, called farmer stories.
By combining claims in the framework with these other resources, Better Cotton Members can articulate a compelling story that is meaningful to them and their customers.
Members should always refer to the most current version of the Claims Framework to ensure that the context in which they want to use a claim is not in breach of their agreed conduct as a member.
Use of the Claims Framework is governed by the Better Cotton Code of Practice, Better Cotton Terms of Membership and Better Cotton Monitoring Protocol.
The Claims Framework version 4.0 was published on 31 January 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
The legislative landscape for sustainability claims is rapidly evolving. We continue to closely monitor this and work to ensure that our claims offering demonstrates real value to our members, whilst meeting legislative requirements and expectations of consumers. As a result, the Claims Framework is regularly updated.
With Better Cotton’s shift to Certification and introduction of the Better Cotton Label for Physical Better Cotton, version 4.0 provides a comprehensive update to our claims offering. The revision was completed further to a public consultation, direct consultations with key stakeholders as well as a comprehensive consumer survey.
Version 4.0 of the Claims Framework introduces a new set of claims for Physical Better Cotton including the new Better Cotton Label and claims for certified organisations.
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The Claims Framework, which is a component of the Better Cotton Standard System, outlines the claims that can be made by all members, including Suppliers and Manufacturers and Retailers and Brands, as well as certified organisations and certification bodies.
Our new consumer label is an optional claim that may be used by certified Retailer and Brand members that signifies a product contains Physical Better Cotton. It is only available for products which have been sourced through the Segregated Chain of Custody models (Single or Multi-Country). To find out more, click here.
To be eligible to use the new label, Physical Better Cotton must be sourced through a certified supply chain and the Retailer and Brand Member must also be certified. To do this, Retailer and Brand Members must have access to our Traceability programme and be certified against the Chain of Custody Standard.
We have various member resources on myBetterCotton, which you can access here.
If you have any questions, please send them to [email protected].
Phase out of the Mass Balance On-Product Mark
In May 2024, Better Cotton announced the phase-out of the current mass balance on-product mark (label) for members who are sourcing cotton via our mass balance chain of custody system.
By May 2026, the mass balance on-product mark must be out of circulation.
New Consumer Label
Better Cotton is making way for the upcoming launch of our new consumer-facing product label, set to roll out in the second half of 2025. To read more, click here.
False Claims in Supply Chains
Inaccurate or misleading claims not only undermine the integrity of the programme but can also diminish the value of the positive changes that Better Cotton is working to achieve.
Better Cotton takes any supply chain integrity violations, especially false claims, seriously and investigates them thoroughly using all the tools at its disposal. Better Cotton actively monitors claims and communications made about us to protect the credibility of our mission and our membership community.
In instances where a claim or communication does not conform with our Member Code of Practice or Claims Framework, Better Cotton reserves the right to deem a claim is improperly used and thus considered a non-conforming claim. Non-conforming claims include instances where a non-certified entity deliberately or unintentionally sells a product as ‘Better Cotton certified cotton’ when it is not the case.
Communications which are considered misleading and non-conforming are but not limited to; the use of unacceptable range marketing/sustainability filters, messaging that confuses or misrepresents our mission, the use of our logo without having permission, and use of an old or edited Better Cotton logo not in line with current branding guidelines.
Anonymous Misleading Claims and Communications Reporting Form
Better Cotton actively monitors the claims and communications made about us to protect the credibility of our mission and our members.
Misleading claims about Better Cotton could include:
• Claims made by a company or supply chain actor that is not a Better Cotton Member claiming to be one
• Claims being made on products by non-Better Cotton Members
• Claims that misrepresent Better Cotton’s mission
• Claims that suggest Physical Better Cotton sourced via Mass Balance is present in a product, fabric or yarn
This form may be filled out to report any misleading claims or communications being made about Better Cotton. No personal data will be gathered or stored beyond what is entered into the form. Please fill out all required sections.
