Made In Africa: Ethiopia Joins Sustainable Cotton Initatiave

Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) revealed this week that Ethiopa has joined its ranks alongside several other African nations, all choosing to manufacture cotton sustainably. Ethiopia’s Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) will now be involved in sustainable cotton farming in the North-Western part of the country, where over 9,000 small farms are located. The Foundation works locally with the Ethiopian Cotton Producers, Exporters and Ginners Association (ECPGEA) and - in accordance with the CmiA sustainability standards – is reaching more farms and producing more eco-cotton supplies that are attracting interest from labels abroad.  "With the addition of Ethiopia, there are now round about 650,000 smallholder farmers growing cotton according to the CmiA sustainability standards. With their family members included, this totals over 5.5 million people in 10 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa,” said Christoph Kaut, Managing Director of the Foundation.  “Our standard is specifically aimed at smallholder farmers in our project countries who only have a small plot of land and who are most in need of support. In order to protect the environment and vital resources, the exploitation of primary forests is forbidden, as is encroachment into established protected areas, the use of genetically modified seeds, and artificial irrigation."  The CmiA standards focus on promoting ecological, social, and economic aspects of cotton production and processing. Only smallholder farmers, who manage between 1-3ha of land, may participate. In addition to only using rain irrigation and natural seeds, farmers on the program may not use pesticides deemed unsuitable by the World Health Organisation. Children cannot be hired for cheap labor and adult workers must be allowed access to a union. Interestingly, men and women must be paid equally for the same work. As well as benefitting from agricultural and business training, the CmiA standard also means that smallholder farmers can rely on fair contracts with cotton companies and reliable payment for their crops.  CmiA’s intense guidelines are keeping Africa’s cotton farming sustainably viable. Last year, over 150,000 tonnes of cotton were produced in accordance with the standard. As a result of the latest successful verifications in Ethiopia - adding to the work in Uganda, Tanzania and Cameroon - the quantity of CmiA-verified cotton produced looks to rise again significantly in 2015. Africa is indeed an attractive cotton industry to draw from for foreign-based eco-designers. Germany’s Julia Starp is a luxury womenswear designer who crafts high-end garments and shows at Berlin fashion week. Founded in 2009, her Julia Starp Modedesign label stands for high quality and above all, sustainability. The JAK Hamburg Fashion Design Academy graduate designed an eight-piece ‘EcoRepublic by Julia Starp’ collection back in 2012 for German omni-channel retailer, Otto. With sustainability at the forefront of her line, every piece was made from organic, Cotton made in Africa cotton. "To me, exclusivity and sustainability are not opposing factors. On the contrary, sustainable fabrics are what complete my creations," explains Starp. More than ethics, the Hamburg newcomer’s fashion-conscious designs speak of how sustainability and fashion can be elegantly combined. "It is important to me that my clothes can be worn longer than just one season - that is also part of the sustainable philosophy behind my fashion."