Globally, up to 100 million smallholder farmers depend on cotton for their income. They are, however, at the very bottom of the garment industry chain, largely invisible and without a voice, ignored by a trillion-dollar industry that cannot exist without their produce.
There are many injustices in the cotton industry, which also extend to garment factories.
The Rana Plaza disaster in April 2013 in which 1,137 workers died and more than 2,500 were injured, sparked outrage worldwide. Pressure from trade unions and campaigners like Clean Clothes Campaign saw 180 multinationals sign a legally binding Accord forcing safety inspections on the factories they use in Bangladesh and legal action if they don’t adhere to it.
This is but one step in the right direction to improve textile factory workers’ conditions. Sadly, however, the same attention doesn’t seem to extend to the first and arguably most valuable link in the fashion supply chain – the farmers who grow the cotton that the industry depends on.
There are a number of possible reasons for this negligence. One of which is that the ongoing “sustainable” and “ethical” debates in the fashion and garment industry fail to address the situation of cotton producers.
Sustainability in clothing supply chains has become synonymous with the environmental impact of sourcing the raw material while ethical debates centre around factory workers. This is understandable, considering the enormous environmental footprint left by the industry and the well-documented human rights abuses suffered by workers. However, these debates often leave cotton farmers in India, west Africa and beyond without a thought or protection.
Meanwhile, an industry worth trillions, is still unable to provide a sustainable and profitable livelihood for the millions of smallholders who grow the seed cotton the textile industry depends on.
Dependent on the middle men or ginners who buy their cotton, farmers often have to settle for prices below the cost of production. In addition, decreasing yields caused by climate change is a daily challenge, further compounded by food price inflation which leaves them struggling to provide for their families. These factors also affect farmers’ ability to provide decent wages and conditions to the casual workers they employ.
The smallest drop in cotton prices can have serious implications for a farmer’s ability to meet the most basic of needs. However, research (pdf) shows that a small increase in the price paid to farmers for their cotton has the potential to significantly improve farmers’ livelihoods without hitting the consumer in the pocket. This is because the final price of a piece of clothing includes the manufacturing processes that add value along the supply chain, of which the cost of raw cotton makes up a very small share. In other words, a 10% increase in the seed cotton price would only result in a marginal increase in the retail price.
Encouragingly, we’re seeing a global shift in attitudes – consumers are increasingly concerned about where their clothes come from.
Fairtrade Cotton was launched to address these and other concerns, to put the spotlight on the farmers and workers who are often left invisible, neglected and poor at the end of a long and complex supply chain. The goal was to provide these farmers with an alternative route to trade and higher, more stable incomes.
Fairtrade Standards provide a framework for cotton farmers to form democratic organisations or strengthen existing organisations. This enables farmers to increase their negotiating power in the marketplace, improve business systems, access new markets, develop long-term trading partnerships and implement sustainable farming practices. Fairtrade Minimum Prices contribute to financial stability, while Fairtrade Premium can be invested in improving cotton quality and productivity, climate change adaptation and improving community welfare.
Consumers want their clothes made well and ethically, without harmful agrochemicals and exploitation. We think about farmers when we talk about food. Let’s start thinking about farmers when we think about clothing too, and commit to paying the true cost of our clothes.
This month, the global Fashion Revolution movement is focusing on five thematic areas impacting the fashion supply chain with a series of talks highlighting pressing issues in the global fashion industry.
Content on this page is paid for and provided by Fairtrade Foundation, sponsor of the spotlight on commodities series
