At NA-KD, we partner with the Better Cotton Initiative to help improve cotton farming globally. Better Cotton aims to improve cotton production for the people who grow it, for the environment it depends on and for the future of the sector.
What is the Better Cotton Initiative and how is it different from conventional cotton?
Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is the world’s leading sustainability initiative for cotton whose mission it is to help cotton communities survive and thrive while protecting and restoring the environment. It brings together farmers, ginners, spinners, manufacturers, brands and retailers as well as civil society groups and governments.Better Cotton Farmers receive training to use water efficiently, care for soil health and natural habitats, reduce the use of the most harmful chemicals and respect workers rights and wellbeing. The Better Cotton Initiative allows genetically modified crops, and focuses on continuous improvement rather than a “no chemicals” rule. By contrast, organic cotton is grown without chemical pesticides nor fertilizers and has full certification based traceability.
A key feature of the Better Cotton Initiative is the mass balance system. This system allows more sustainable cotton to be mixed with conventional cotton in the supply chain, while the cotton that brands buy as “Better Cotton” are matched with the same volumes sourced from Better Cotton farms. NA-KD sources “Better Cotton” via system of mass balance so it is not physically traceable to end products.
In 2023, cotton sourced through the Better Cotton Initiative represented about 22 percent of global cotton production. This scale allows the initiative to reach a large number of farmers with training, resources and support through their program partners.
How NA-KD works with the Better Cotton Initiative
NA-KD partners with the Better Cotton Initiative to improve cotton farming globally. We are committed to phase out 100% of all conventional cotton by 2030, this includes cotton from BCI, recycled cotton and organic cotton.When we source cotton as “Better Cotton”, we record our volumes on the Better Cotton Platform. Those volumes are then matched with cotton grown under the Better Cotton Standard. The cotton in our products may not be physically traceable, but the volume based fees we pay per each metric ton help fund field level training that can strengthen livelihoods in cotton growing communities.