Cotton made in Africa (CmiA)

Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) is a sustainability standard for cotton from sub-Saharan Africa, founded in 2005 by the Aid by Trade Foundation. About 900,000 smallholders in ten African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Mozambique, Zambia, Uganda and others) are verified. The cotton is grown exclusively rain-fed, without artificial irrigation, saving up to 2,100 litres of water per kilogram of cotton compared to the global average.

The standard bans hazardous pesticides listed in the Stockholm Convention, genetically modified seeds and child or forced labour. Independent auditors verify farms and ginning mills every two years. CmiA operates through a mass balance or hard-identity-preserved system, enabling traceability all the way to the finished textile. Brand licence fees flow entirely back into on-site training and social programmes.

For brands like Otto, Tchibo, Aldi, Rewe and C&A, CmiA is one of the key raw material standards for affordable sustainability. Note: CmiA is not an organic label - mineral fertiliser is allowed. Combination with GOTS or OCS is possible via CmiA Organic. In 2023 CmiA accounted for roughly 40 percent of the entire African cotton harvest.