The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) is the largest cotton initiative in Africa and is committed to integrating cotton originating from Africa into the textile industry with increasing success. The foundation is now also dedicated to promoting organic cotton production in Africa as well as its competitiveness on international markets. After successful verification of the Tanzanian cotton company BioSustain, organic cotton according to the CmiA Organic Standard is now available on the market.
“The new CmiA Organic Standard will benefit both the more than 9,000 successfully verified cotton farmers in Tanzania as well as textile companies worldwide as we are also working on market access for CmiA Organic cotton according to the market-oriented CmiA principles,” explains Tina Stridde, Managing Director of the foundation.
Cotton is one of the main sources of income in the poorest regions of rural Africa. Against this backdrop, the Aid by Trade Foundation is intensifying its commitment to a more sustainable production both for people and nature with its current Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) Standard. As an extension to the portfolio, it now also offers CmiA Organic cotton. The new standard compliments the existing Eco Standard EC No. 834/2007 and the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) with the social and economic criteria of CmiA.
