C&A – one of the global market leaders for organic cotton
We would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all our customers. After all, it is entirely thanks to you that our commitment to organic cotton can be so successful, helping to make the world just that little bit better. Since organic cotton is grown without the use of artificial fertilisers or toxic pesticides, it brings lasting improvement to the living and working conditions of thousands of farmers and their families as well as the environment. C&A sold 26 million items of organic cotton clothing in 2010, meaning that 13% of our total cotton products are already made of certified organic cotton. And we continue to abide by our principle of offering you organic cotton products at the same price as those made of conventional cotton. With the help of you, our customers, we shall increase this proportion still further in the years to come and together make our contribution to a better world.
Our commitment to people and the environment
Cotton is a high-yielding crop for farmers in the manufacturing countries and makes a key contribution to agricultural employment. However, growing cotton by conventional means is detrimental for both man and the environment. This is why C&A commenced its long-term changeover to organic cotton, viewing this as an essential task within the context of our broader commitment to supporting sustainable agriculture. At present, organic cotton (regrettably) accounts for less than 1% of global cotton production. However, it is increasingly moving out of its niche position, and into the mass market. One significant reason for this is an increase in consumer awareness of the ecologically grown components that go into the manufacture of clothing. In direct response to our customers' wishes, we intend to increase the proportion of organic cotton in our range, at the same time encouraging many of our competitors to follow our example to the benefit of people and the environment.
Strong partners
Without our partners the success of our organic cotton project would not be possible. In 2005 C&A became a member of the non-profit organisation "Textile Exchange", which helped us to develop our strategy for the cultivation of organic cotton. In 2008 the two partners, together with the Shell Foundation, initiated a five-year project in India focused on scaling up the cultivation and use of organic cotton. The intention was to establish a sustainable textile value-added chain that would eventually also be transferable to other regions of the world. The three partners achieved this goal by founding the new organisation "Cotton Connect". Cotton Connect's task is to provide targeted support for the transition from conventional to sustainable and renewable farming methods with the aid of transferable business models.
It's all in your hands
The success of our organic cotton project is, of course, essentially also the success of you, our customers. Because we can only offer you our goods. The decision to buy is entirely in your hands. Yet the figures speak for themselves: in 2008 C&A sold 15.3 million articles of clothing made of organic cotton; in 2009 the figure rose to 18 million items and this had grown to 26 million garments in 2010, meaning that 13 percent of the entire C&A cotton collection is made of organic cotton.
Together with you, our valued customers, we will succeed in further increasing this proportion, perhaps thereby also awakening an interest in organic cotton clothing among other consumers. The environment and people in the manufacturing countries will thank you for it. That is why, despite higher production costs, C&A will also continue to hold firm to its strategy of offering organic cotton clothing at the same price as those made of conventional cotton.
For further information, visit: www.organicexchange.org
