Farmers

The Better Cotton Initiative has introduced a traceable product label, launched on World Cotton Day, aimed at helping retailers and brands communicate verified sustainability claims. The label coincides with a refreshed identity and annual report that underscores measurable progress in farmer incomes, pesticide reduction, and women’s empowerment across global cotton-producing communities.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping agriculture by offering smarter ways to monitor pests and optimise pesticide use. A new initiative demonstrates how rural communities can harness cutting-edge technologies to strengthen farming practices, protect health and build innovation capacity. The project also highlights how collaborative partnerships can bring long-term economic and community benefits outside urban centres.

The future of cotton in fashion is at a crossroads, threatened by weak transparency, limited certification impact, and the growing dominance of synthetics. In this interview, Tamar Hoek, Senior Policy Director (Sustainable Fashion), and Annemiek Smits, Corporate Engagement Manager for Fashion at Solidaridad, share why brands must prioritise fairer procurement, stronger accountability, and investment in farmers.

A new assessment of 100 top fashion brands reveals limited momentum in sustainable cotton adoption, widespread failures in transparency, and rising dependence on fossil-derived fibres. The Cotton Rankings 2025, developed by Solidaridad and Good on You, expose stark contrasts between industry rhetoric and practice, highlighting how sourcing decisions shape cotton’s uncertain role in fashion..

The denim industry’s sustainability discussions often exclude those closest to production, from farmers to mills, allowing misinformation and greenwashing to thrive. Fear keeps suppliers silent, while brands avoid confronting hard data. In this candid exchange with texfash.com, Andrew Olah, Co-Founder of Transformers Foundation unpacks the systemic silencing of suppliers and the urgent need for honest, inclusive dialogue.

WWF-India and Solidaridad have entered a strategic alliance aimed at transforming India’s cotton and palm oil sectors through regenerative agriculture. The partnership focuses on building climate resilience, improving transparency, and fostering responsible sourcing. Joint activities will include pilot projects, policy advocacy, market reforms, and research to embed sustainability principles into agricultural production systems.

A new ten-year report from Better Cotton maps the evolution of cotton farming practices in the United States using producer-reported data. The report identifies regional contrasts and commonalities in areas such as soil health, biodiversity, irrigation, and pest management across the Southeast, Mid-South, Southwest, and Far West cotton regions.

Cotton farming spans millions of hectares worldwide, posing major risks to biodiversity. A new paper from Solidaridad and Organic Cotton Accelerator details how agrochemical use, monocultures, poor water management and land conversion harm ecosystems.

A groundbreaking study by the International Cotton Advisory Committee challenges the long-held perception of cotton as excessively water-intensive, revealing that focusing on total water use—including natural rainwater—distorts understanding of the crop's environmental impact. The research emphasises optimising irrigation practices for genuine water conservation.

Better Cotton has announced a bold pivot: it is embedding regenerative agriculture as a core part of its standard from 2025. The move is aimed at driving tangible improvements in soil health, biodiversity, and farmer livelihoods across cotton-producing regions.