The Suppliers and Manufacturers Membership Category makes up any organisation that runs for-profit activity within the cotton supply chain beyond the farm gate and before retail, from buying, selling, and financing to processing.

This membership category includes 2 sub-categories:

1. Other Intermediates (e.g. ginners, spinners, mills and end consumer product manufacturers): This membership includes organisations who are intermediaries in the cotton supply chain.
2. Cotton Traders: The membership includes traders dealing in raw cotton only.

Membership benefits

Joining BCI offers progressive Suppliers and Manufacturers a new way to do business, strengthens links with customers and opens up a new market potential. Even for those for whom sustainability is not yet a business reality – Better Cotton offers a way to learn more and continuously improve performance in partnership with peers and business partners.

What it means to be a member

Being a member of BCI means being part of creating impact and supporting the BCI mission as part of your organisation’s involvement in cotton. Being a BCI Supplier and Manufacturer Member also means you are an important part of increasing the flow of Better Cotton through the supply chain.

• Registered membership means that you are taking your engagement one step further, and are committed to Better Cotton and to making the cotton supply chain a more stable and secure environment to operate in. Ginners, Spinners, Mills and End Consumer Product Manufacturers who are registered BCI Members, will be trained by BCI on how to process Better Cotton sourcing using the Better Cotton Platform.
• Only registered Suppliers and Manufacturers have access to the Better Cotton Platform. Being a registered Ginner, Spinner, Mill, and End Consumer Product Manufacturer also means that you are marketed by BCI as a trained Supplier and Manufacturer, making you more attractive to BCI Retailer and Brand Members.

BCI Supplier and Manufacturer Members participate in BCI’s General Assembly and Council and have the opportunity to influence processes and discussions at BCI. BCI Council positions are open to all members (except for Associate Members), and Supplier and Manufacturer Members hold three seats in the BCI Council.

Members are also required to comply with:

BCI Code of Practice (for commercial members)

BCI Terms of Membership.

Membership fees

Membership fees are differentiated in relation to the size of the organisation. Download the BCI Membership Fee Structure for Suppliers and Manufacturers: Ginners, Spinners, Mills and End Consumer Product Manufacturers.

In June 2016, the BCI Council approved new membership fees as of 1 January 2017. *In June 2020, the BCI Council voted to extend all current membership fees through 2021. All BCI Membership Fees are invoiced in Euros (€) only.

Better Cotton Platform access for non-members

If you are a company that does not source cotton lint (i.e. end consumer product manufacturers, stand-alone fabric mills and sourcing agents) and you do not wish to apply for BCI membership, there is an alternative option to engage in Better Cotton procurement for your retail/brand customers.

Click here for more details about how to gain access to a user account on the Better Cotton Platform (BCP), available for 500 EUR per year.

Membership application form

Download the relevant application form:

Cotton Traders application form

Other Intermediaries application form

Further details on the application process can be found below.