North/South New Trade Initiative - Clean Cotton Campaign for Africa

The objective of the Clean Cotton Campaign for Africa is to establish a North/South green trade initiative developed and designed by Earth Rights Institute that will bring economic prosperity and sustainable development to the Western African nations that rely on cotton production. By shifting their cotton production towards a greener farming method, they will not only be able to ensure a market to sell their cotton crop at a fair price but they will be able to restore their environment. ERI will consult on how to develop a secure green cotton market between the farmers, buyers and conscious consumers. By coming up with a label that promotes fair trade and healthier farming methods, the goal is to improve the farmer's conditions in Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali.

DRAFT

Earth Rights Initiative for Fair Trade and Green Markets
Organic Cotton Campaign for Western Africa 2004

PROBLEM: In recent years, the expansion of international trade in food and industrial products has increased inequality and insecurity. International finance institutions and trade agreements, have taken advantage of developing nations while multi-national corporations, and their respective agents, have dominated and profited from most of the production through to marketing.

The failure of the 5th Ministerial Conference of the WTO was partly due to the fact that the USA and EU refused to commit to African countries, in particular Chad, Benin, Mali and Burkina Faso who are dependent on cotton exports, in reducing their trade subsidies on cotton. Many of the developing nations had hoped in the negotiations on agriculture to come to an agreement to end rich countries' agricultural subsidies that make it hard for them to compete in the global market.

SOLUTION: The objective of the Fair Trade and Green Markets Organic Cotton Campaign is to establish a North/South green trade initiative initiated by the Green Party which will bring economic prosperity to the Western African nations that rely on cotton production. By shifting their cotton production into an ‘organic’ cotton farming program, they will not only be able to sell their cotton crop at a fair price but they will be able to care for their environment.

Conventional cotton farming is known to be one of agriculture’s most environmentally destructive activities. It is said that the growing and harvesting of one pound of cotton fiber needed to make a T-shirt takes an enormous toll on the air, water, and soil, not to mention the health and high cost for the people working and living in cotton growing areas. Positive alternatives for the cotton industry and the fast growing demands for ‘organic’ cotton market has been emerging in both Europe and the United States. There are now examples of a growing number of farmers and manufacturers who have pioneered the market for organically grown cotton, and have reduced significantly the use of toxic chemicals in the production of fibers and clothing.

The successful implementation of this Fair Trade and Green Markets Organic Cotton Campaign, in any one of these West Africa nations, could lend itself to replication in other parts of the Africa. It could set an example on why greens are pushing for such an initiative, proving what the benefits are in supporting sustainable development as a viable economic program for the developing nations.

PARTNERS

The Initiative will work in developing partnerships with the European Parliament, Green Party government officials worldwide, NGOs, community based organizations, large fashion outlets, fashion designers and other experts familiar with the organic cotton industry and markets.

Earth Rights Institute would provide a unique consultant program in which the principal role would be to develop and provide a holistic business strategy with sustainable concepts for this social enterprise. Initially, two persons from Earth Rights Institute would work on this campaign with the EFA/Greens. A contract would be produced as to provide the funds and support needed to do the work.

Organic Cotton Campaign for West Africa divided into three phases:

PHASE I – DEVELOP SUPPORT: Build support from Green Parties, Sustainable Development organizations, West African trade groups and other government agencies who would have an interest in such an initiative. Contact potential buyers such as large clothing outlets, well-known fashion designers and famous individuals to join the campaign. Get endorsements and support from NGOs who promote Fair Trade both nationally and internationally. A full feasibility study would be started to help design a realistic plan on the timeline and stages necessary to shift from conventional cotton farming into an organic production.

Phase II - CONFERENCE: A three-day international conference and Organic Cotton Expo to be held in one of the West African cotton producing nations to promote the Initiative. An aggressive media relations campaign shall precede the conference. The conference will clarify the intent and purposes of the Organic Cotton Campaign and develop agreements and strategies for the implementation of the initiative. The first two days will be intensive interactive sessions while the third and last day will feature closing ceremonies and a world press conference where a communiqué shall be made public.

The total funding requirement for Phase II would need to be determined.

PHASE III - COORDINATION & IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISM: This stage of the initiative will coordinate the full implementation of the Organic Cotton Campaign through the development of sustainable partnerships.

Submitted by the Earth Rights Institute
October 6, 2003

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2002 BELTWIDE PRESENTATION: ORGANIC COTTON: PRODUCTION AND MARKETING TRENDS IN THE U.S. AND GLOBALLY- 2001

Sandra Marquardt, Organic Trade Association, Greenfield, MA
Markets for Organic Cotton

Why are companies seeking organically grown cotton? - Many apparel and textile companies are scrutinizing their environmental practices and considering ways to make their product lines more environmentally sustainable in the long term. They know, for example, that in 2000, cotton was the second most heavily pesticide sprayed crop (behind only corn), with more than 84 million pounds of pesticides applied to 14,415,000 U.S. acres of upland cotton. This represents an average of 5.8 pounds of pesticides per acre of cotton. (USDA/NASS).

Trends in the Organic Cotton Marketplace. - According to OTA’s 2001 Manufacturer’s Market Survey of its membership, there has been 22 percent annual growth in the organic fiber industry over the last five years. The biggest area of growth was in the non-clothing arena (linens, other household furnishings, and personal care products). This sector experienced a 39 percent increase during that period, most likely due to the fact that it is easier to sell such products in health and natural food stores where customers are more educated about organic agriculture and products. (OTA 2001) The clothing industry experienced a more sedate 11 percent growth over the past five years, most likely due their limited presence in the health and natural foods and to the “fickleness of fashion.”

According to the survey, “All types of organic fiber companies, however, are optimistic about the future. As cash flow problems and distribution issues get worked out, supply becomes more reliable, and more colors and types of fabric become available, responding companies report they expect to grow by more than 50% from 2000-2001 and at an annual average growth rate of 44% over the next five years. Clothing, in particular, expects to see a 58% growth in the next year alone.”

There are a number of companies driving the expanded use of domestic and international organic cotton. For example, Nike has recently decided to increase the percentage of organic cotton it blends with conventional cotton from three to almost 6 percent by Spring 2003 and to develop 100 percent organic cotton products as early as the Fall 2002 season. Other companies, including Cutter and Buck, Timberland, Norm Thompson Outfitters and Hanna Andersson are either using or developing extensive blended or 100 percent organic cotton product lines.

These and other leading retail apparel companies attended a training session on integrating organic cotton into product lines offered by OTA in May 2001 at its All Things Organic™ Conference and Trade Show, and have met since then to explore in detail the steps needed to make the conversion more efficiently and rapidly.

Lastly, companies using organic cotton will now be able to use the well-recognized “Seal of Cotton” on their products. Although some work remains to refine guidelines on licensing, OTA anticipates progress in this area and will be monitoring changes in sales by its organic fiber council members who use the Seal of Cotton. Several companies already use the Cotton Council International’s “COTTON USA Mark.”

Development of Organic Fiber Processing Standards - To address what materials can be used in processing and finishing organic fiber, and how to label the finished products, OTA is completing processing standards, supported by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The standards would prohibit the use of environmentally hazardous processing agents, but permit the use of a limited sub-set of dyes that meet strict environmental standards. They also create different labels for finished products based on the percentage of organic content (e.g., 100 percent, 95 percent or more, 70-95 percent, or less than 70 percent).

The fiber processing standards will evolve as the industry grows, and are intended to form the basis of future federal standards. In the meantime, the only post-harvest provisions included in the national organic standards state that “goods that utilize organic fibers in their manufacture may only be labeled as a ‘made with…’ product; e.g., a cotton shirt labeled ‘made with organic cotton.’” (USDA) The Federal Trade Commission has stated that listing the percent of organic cotton content on the garment label is allowed.

Last modified: 24 December 2003

http://www.earthrights.net/cotton/