BCI-1

BCI stands for Better Cotton Initiative. It is a global non-profit organization that aims to promote sustainable cotton production and improve the livelihoods of cotton farmers. BCI works with various stakeholders in the cotton supply chain, including farmers, retailers, and brands, to implement better environmental and social practices in cotton farming.

The key objectives of BCI are:

1. Environmental sustainability: BCI promotes the use of more sustainable farming practices to reduce the environmental impact of cotton production. This includes minimizing the use of harmful pesticides and promoting efficient water and soil management techniques.

2. Social and economic development: BCI focuses on improving the livelihoods of cotton farmers by providing training and support to enhance their agricultural practices and increase their income. It also promotes fair labor practices and encourages gender equality and women's empowerment in cotton farming communities.

3. Supply chain transparency: BCI works to create transparency and traceability in the cotton supply chain. It provides a system for tracking the flow of cotton from farms to retailers, ensuring that cotton produced under BCI standards is properly identified and labeled.

4. Collaboration and knowledge sharing: BCI facilitates collaboration among stakeholders in the cotton industry, including farmers, retailers, and NGOs. It promotes the sharing of knowledge, best practices, and innovations to drive continuous improvement in cotton production.

By partnering with BCI, brands and retailers can source and promote cotton products that have been produced in line with BCI's sustainability standards. This helps to create a more sustainable and responsible cotton industry, benefiting both the environment and the livelihoods of cotton farmers.

It is important to note that BCI is not a certification, but rather a voluntary program that sets standards and provides training and support to farmers. However, BCI works closely with other certification programs, such as organic and Fairtrade, to align their goals and promote sustainable cotton production globally.

Using cotton products that are sourced from the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) offers several advantages. Here are some of the key benefits of supporting BCI:

5. Availability and accessibility: BCI has a wide network of participating farmers and retailers, making BCI-certified cotton products more readily available to consumers. By supporting BCI, you have access to a range of cotton products that have been produced with environmental and social considerations in mind.

6. Market demand and consumer preference: Supporting BCI helps to create market demand for more sustainable cotton products. As consumer awareness and preference for sustainable and responsibly sourced products grow, supporting BCI can contribute to the overall shift towards more sustainable and ethical practices in the cotton industry.

Overall, the advantages of supporting BCI include contributing to environmental sustainability, promoting social and economic development, ensuring transparency and traceability in the supply chain, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing, and aligning with consumer preferences for sustainable products. By choosing BCI-certified cotton products, you can make a positive impact on the cotton industry and support a more sustainable future.

Traceability of the complex textile supply chain is implemented in a simple way

Good cotton supply chain supervision model

✓ Physical separation stacking and processing (cotton farmer to gin level)

✓ Inbound and outbound Mass Balance (after the gin mill)

After the gin mill, as long as BCCUs is assigned to the cotton product, the order is BCI

The order, the BCI order does not say that the Cotton product actually contains Better Cotton fiber.

BCCU - Good Cotton declaration unit, 1 BCCU = 1 Kg Better Cotton lint

BCP - Good Cotton platform, the online platform for transferring BCCUs