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H&M sources most 'Better

Cotton' in 2017 by BCI

Since 2017, Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) has sourced the leading brands who are supporting market
'Better Cotton' by Better Cotton Initiative (BCI). In transformation by integration of 'Better Cotton' into
2017, over 350 brands sourced a record-breaking their raw materials strategies and driving demand for
736,000 metric tonnes of 'Better Cotton'. Brands more sustainable cotton production worldwide.
have considerably contributed to the growth of
'Better Cotton' over the past eight years, serving to BCI retailer and its brand members are committed to
drive BCI towards its 2020 target. supporting more sustainable cotton production. They
pay a fee to BCI based on the amount of cotton they
In 2017, these retailers and brands increased the source as 'Better Cotton'. This fee is endowed into
volume of cotton they sourced as Better Cotton by at training approximately 2 million BCI farmers on more
least 20 percentage points compared to 2016. Ikea sustainable agricultural practices like reducing inputs
Supply, Adidas, Gap, Nike, Levi Strauss & Co., C&A, (water, pesticides and chemical fertilizers) and
Decathlon, VF Corporation and Bestseller are among addressing gender equality and child labor problems.

ICAC’s 77th Plenary meeting

emphasizes Cotton’s importance to iTextiles & NTU’s collaboration

Africa and its future potential a success of Light weight bullet proof

The International Cotton Advisory Committee’s Africa through its country audits and yield awareness vest at IDEAS Karachi, 2018
(ICAC) opened its 77th Plenary Meeting with a training programs.”
welcome message from Mr Mamadou SANGAFOWA
COULIBALY, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Agriculture The Inaugural Session also included a speech from NTU exhibited innovative products developed in Dr Muhammad Umair displayed bullet proof vest for
and Rural Development. the President of the Organizing Committee, Dr collaboration of iTextiles in International Defense 3 different NIJ levels. Uniforms for armed personnel’s
Adama Coulibaly, Director General of Cotton and Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) Karachi, 2018. and combat helmets were also displayed. NTU team
He welcomed the 160+ people who travelled from Cashew Council, and a World Cotton Market Update takes the pride of being the sole team at IDEAS that
their home countries to Abidjan for the conference, from the members of the ICAC Secretariat. Ideas 2018 was held at Expo center Karachi in is producing indigenous bullet protection products in
as well as the 160+ Ivoirians in attendance. He also November. More than 250 exhibitors from collaboration with industry.
emphasized how important cotton is to Côte d'Ivoire, As is tradition at Plenary Meetings, the ICAC officially approximately 47-48 strategic partners and friendly
which is one of the country’s top agricultural crops. recognized its 2018 Cotton Researcher of the Year, countries from across the world participated in the TDF-110 project "Light weight bullet proof vest made
Dr. Baohong Zhang, a Professor of Biology at East four-day International Defense Exhibition and from 3D comingled woven thermoplastic composite
Mr Kai Hughes, ICAC Executive Director also Carolina University, Greenville, USA. Dr. Zhang is one Seminar (IDEAS). A team of over 10 people and novel auxetic woven fabrics" got special
addressed the audience, stressing how critical Côte of the major contributors to breeding transgenic Bt participated from National Centre for Composite attention at IDEAS 2018. Delegates from Pakistan
d’Ivoire and all of Africa are to the future of cotton. cotton in China. He developed five cotton cultivars Materials, NTU in IDEAS and presented jointly armed forces, Pakistan aeronautical complex and
He said, “It is no secret that some of the lowest that already are being used in China and several developed products in collaboration with iTextile. Pakistan ordinance factories visited the booth.
yields in the world occur in Africa. If we look at Africa other Asian countries. The cultivars continue to
as a whole and increase yields in all African generate huge economic benefits for cotton farmers. The event was attended by Worthy Rector; Dr The products were highly appreciated by national
countries to the global average, it would result in an Tanveer Hussain, Mr Mujeeb Ullah Khan, Director and international delegates and meetings are in
additional 2 million tonnes for Africa alone. This is The opening day of the conference concluded with a iTextiles; Director NCCM; Dr Yasir Nawab and progress regarding the commercialization of
something that the ICAC can have a direct impact on reception and fashion show, providing an elegant Director ORIC; Dr Ahsan Nazir. Project team leader prepared products.
by offering advice to farmers and governments in and modern interpretation of traditional Ivoirian style.

November/December 2018 November/December 2018