For years, cotton has been a widely used material in the industry, with well-known characteristics for both brands and consumers. However, it also has a significant impact on the planet and people engaged depending on the farming method.
For this reason, we source 100% of our cotton from certified and branded sources – such as organic cotton, recycled cotton, in-conversion cotton, CmiA (Cotton made in Africa) and Better Cotton Initiative.
The market for organic cotton remains challenging, with limited availability driven by supply chain pressures and industry-wide challenges around integrity and traceability.
In response, we are expanding our direct-to-farm approach to help increase the supply of organic cotton. Read more about what direct-to-farm means below.
We focus on certified and branded cotton sources, including organic, in-conversion and recycled cotton, as well as Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) and Better Cotton Initiative (BCI).
These standards support ongoing work with traceability, integrity and improvement across our supply chain, developed in collaboration with partners and industry initiatives. We partner with organisations such as the Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) and BCI as part of this work.
Read more below about each of our cotton sources and what they mean in practice.
Organic cotton is grown according to recognised organic farming standards. Through our direct-to-farm sourcing programme and partnerships with organisations such as Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA), we support the uptake of organic cotton and increased transparency in the cotton supply chain.
In 2025, we reached our target of sourcing at least 30 percent of our cotton from organic cotton.
Less than one percent of the world’s cotton is grown as organic. To help increase this share, we include in-conversion cotton in our range of certified and branded cotton.
In-conversion cotton is grown using organic farming methods while farmers work towards official certification. This transition usually takes around three years. During this period, farmers can receive a premium for their cotton, supporting their shift to organic practices.
By sourcing in-conversion cotton, we support farmers during the transition to organic practices and contribute to increasing the availability of organic cotton over time.
Cotton can be recycled from pre-consumer waste, which comes from any excess material produced during the production of yarn, fabrics and textile products, or post-consumer waste, which comes from discarded textile products (e.g. used apparel and home textiles).
There is a technological challenge when recycling cotton as these fibres are shorter than the original fibres, making them more difficult to spin. Therefore, recycled cotton is often blended with virgin cotton fibres to improve the quality of the yarns.
Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) aims to improve the living conditions of smallholder cotton farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa by helping them help themselves through trade (the aid by trade principle).
The farmers are trained in cultivation methods, and an international alliance of textile companies source the CmiA raw material and pay a licensing fee to use the seal.
The proceeds from licensing fees, are reinvested in the project regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. BESTSELLER uses CmiA’s ecological standard, CmiA-Organic.
Direct-to-farm means building closer relationships with cotton farmers and sourcing cotton more directly from farming communities. This gives us better insight into where our cotton comes from and how it is produced.
Through this approach, we support farmers through measures such as premium payments and pre-financing, helping them transition to organic farming practices.
We continue to expand our direct-to-farm sourcing as part of our efforts to increase the availability of organic cotton and improve transparency across our supply chain.
Better Cotton Initiative is a global programme that aims to improve cotton production and support the livelihoods of cotton farmers.
We have been an active member of Better Cotton Initiative since 2011 and support strategic investments into projects to increase the volume and traceability of Better Cotton.
The programme supports farmers with training in farming practices and working conditions, while promoting a more transparent cotton supply chain.