On the Trail of Fairtrade Cotton

© Fairtrade 2012

© Fairtrade 2012

On the Trail

of Fairtrade

Cotton

• Fairtrade International and Max Havelaar France

partnered with Artisans de Film to put the spotlight on US-

GPC de Kédougou, a Fairtrade-certified small producer

organization in Senegal.

• Watch the entire film at

www.vimeo.com/fairtradeinternational.

• Share the film with your friends and family!

• Film made with the

support of the

European Union

Fairtrade Cotton – November 2012

© Fairtrade 2012

Ismane Diallo,

Cotton farmer

N’débou Village

Senegal

© Fairtrade 2012

• An estimated that 100 million households are involved in

cotton production around the world.

• For many farmers, cotton is the only means of income.

• Cotton used to be called “white gold” in the 1960s

because it boosted export revenue and rural development.

• Cotton’s share of the world’s textile fiber use today is

down to 40%.

Fairtrade Cotton – November 2012

Did you

know?

FACTS

ABOUT

COTTON >

© Fairtrade 2012

Did you

know?

• Only 25% of cotton is produced in countries like Benin,

Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad, where natural conditions

are ideal for its cultivation.

• In other countries that don’t have this natural advantage,

cotton is heavily subsidized leaving poorer farmers at a

disadvantage.

• Conventional cotton growing depends heavily on the use

of agro-chemicals.

Fairtrade Cotton – November 2012

FACTS

ABOUT

COTTON >

© Fairtrade 2011 © Fairtrade 2012

In 2005 Fairtrade

cotton made its

debut on the

market

Harvesting Cotton

in Senegal

© Fairtrade 2012

• Cotton farmers, workers and their families in Mali,

Senegal, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Uganda, India, Kyrgyzstan

and Brazil are benefitting from Fairtrade certification

• 8,223 metric tonnes of Fairtrade cotton were sold in 2011,

nearly 20% of that organic.

• 97% of all Fairtrade cotton comes from India and countries

in West & Central Africa.

Fairtrade Cotton – November 2012

Fairtrade

Cotton

© Fairtrade 2012

How Fairtrade

Cotton Helps

Communities

• Increased income through higher prices and long-term

trade deals.

• A Fairtrade Premium allowing farmers to make community

investments according to their priorities.

• Restricted use of agrochemicals and genetically-modified

varieties to protect the health of farmers and workers

• Children have better chances to continue their schooling.

• Democratic decision-making encouraged by cooperatives.

© Fairtrade 2012

Kadiatou Diallo

Cotton Farmer

Boundoukony

Village,

Senegal

© Fairtrade 2012

Fairtrade

Cotton

Markets • The range of products currently offered on Fairtrade terms

includes household textiles, bags, garments and baby

clothes.

• The UK, France and Switzerland are the primary markets,

but Germany, Finland, Denmark and Japan are growing

quickly.

• In 2008, 27 million garments from Fairtrade cotton were

sold worldwide.

Fairtrade Cotton – November 2012

© Fairtrade 2012

Challenges

for the

Fairtrade

cotton

growers

Fairtrade Cotton – November 2012

• Subsidies by leading cotton trading countries continue to

exert pressure on global cotton prices punishing

producers in developing countries.

• A lack of secure markets to sustain the long-term

relationship with farmers.

• Fairtrade farmers, as well as all cotton farmers in

developing countries, need more sales on fairer terms to

improve their quality of life.

• Fairtrade is working to optimize the cotton value chain to

help cotton producers sell greater quantities on Fairtrade

terms and deliver more benefit to their communities.

© Fairtrade 2011 © Fairtrade 2012

Samale Diallo

Cotton farmer

N’Débou Village

Senegal

© Fairtrade 2012

Fairtrade

around

the world

The international Fairtrade system is a global effort

dedicated to ensuring a better deal for farmers and

workers.

•Fairtrade International (FLO) – www.fairtrade.net

•The Fairtrade Producer Networks -

www.fairtrade.net/producer_networks.html

•National Fairtrade Organizations -

http://www.fairtrade.net/labelling_initiatives1.html

Fairtrade Cotton – November 2012