Better Cotton Initiative - sustainable cotton

The Better Cotton Initiative, or simply Better Cotton, is the largest cotton sustainability program in the world.
This initiative aims to create and spread better cotton. Which means more sustainable and equitable management along the entire long supply chain that involves and brings benefits and improvements to all actors, small farmers, small farming communities, farms, brands and retailers, consumers, governments.

The principles and criteria that outline the global definition of Better Cotton concern:
- crop protection, with the development of alternative pest control techniques in order to reduce dependence on conventional pesticides;
-more sustainable water management to improve crop yields, strengthen resilience to climate change, minimize negative impacts on water quality;
-healthy soil, which leads to larger, higher-quality crops, reduces the need for expensive fertilizers, pesticides and labor costs, and can more easily withstand climate change;
-conserving and enhancing biodiversity on their land and adopting practices that minimize negative impacts on habitats within and around farms;
-better practices during the harvesting, storage and transportation of cotton seeds to avoid contamination and ensure better fiber quality which leads to a better price for farmers;
- ensuring decent working conditions for all workers;
-manage a system that incorporates the policies and procedures necessary to ensure they meet the Better Cotton principles and criteria