Fairtrade Cotton
Also known as: Fairtrade certified cotton, FT cotton
Cotton certified with the Fairtrade minimum price and premium for smallholder farmers — often also organic-certified.
Description
Fairtrade Cotton is a certification within the Fairtrade International family for both conventional and organic cotton grown by smallholder cooperatives. Producing regions are mainly West Africa (Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal), India, Kyrgyzstan and Egypt. The core mechanisms are a guaranteed Fairtrade Minimum Price covering average costs of production and a Fairtrade Premium paid on top for community projects (schools, wells, healthcare).
According to Fairtrade International, around 48,000 t of Fairtrade cotton were produced in 2023 — 64 % of it also organic-certified. Some 41,000 smallholder farmers in 24 certified producer organisations are affiliated; the paid premium reached roughly €1.3 million. The standard bans forced labour, child labour, hazardous pesticides and GMO seed. Combined with the Fairtrade Textile Standard, it additionally covers cut-and-sew operations and living wages.
- Minimum price + premium buffer market volatility
- About two thirds of Fairtrade cotton is also organic
- Ban on GMO seed and hazardous pesticides
- Complemented by Fairtrade Textile Standard for wages/CMT
Properties
| Certifier | FLOCERT on behalf of Fairtrade International |
|---|---|
| Core principles | Minimum price, Fairtrade premium, ban on child/forced labour |
| Volume 2023 | ~48,000 t, ~64 % also organic |
| Application | T-shirts, cotton bags, bed linen, corporate wear |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Fairtrade Deutschland — Baumwolle fairtrade-deutschland.de https://www.fairtrade-deutschland.de/produkte/textilien/baumwolle
- Fairtrade International — Cotton fairtrade.net https://www.fairtrade.net/product/cotton
