The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) has achieved a major milestone in advancing physical traceability for Cotton made in Africa® (CmiA). With nearly 700 suppliers and producers across 25 countries, the foundation has reached a record number of partners able to trace CmiA cotton from the finished product back to its original source—more than twice the figure recorded last year.
Tina Stridde, Managing Director of AbTF, emphasized that transparency is essential for responsible global supply chains. She noted that traceable CmiA cotton helps fashion brands and textile companies ensure compliance with social and environmental standards, protect biodiversity, and empower consumers to make informed purchasing decisions. Full auditing also plays an important role in preventing greenwashing by confirming that verified cotton is genuinely used.
Major partners including Bestseller, Otto Group, OVS, Primark, and REWE Group are already benefiting from the system.
Meeting Regulatory and Due Diligence Requirements
By working with AbTF, companies across the textile value chain—from fashion brands to retailers—can confidently launch products verified under Cotton made in Africa or CmiA Organic, with traceability ensured from bale to yarn, fabric, and final garment. This also provides an effective solution for meeting growing legal regulations and due diligence obligations without increasing compliance risk.
The REWE Group has set an important benchmark, achieving full traceability for all CmiA cotton used in its private label products by the end of 2025. REWE highlighted that the transparency system ensures cotton originates from African smallholder farmers operating under recognized environmental and social criteria, strengthening consumer trust while directly supporting farming communities.
A Proven Traceability Model Built on Collaboration
Physical traceability is achieved through AbTF’s long-established Hard Identity Preserved (HIP) chain of custody model, introduced in 2008. The HIP system enables reliable tracking from finished textile products back to cotton’s origin across all producing regions where AbTF operates.
To date, approximately 33,000 tonnes of physically traceable CmiA cotton have been processed into around 190 million textile products worldwide. The network currently includes about 700 spinning mills, fabric manufacturers, and textile producers, and continues to expand.
Transparency Standard Becomes Mandatory in March 2026
Starting in March 2026, AbTF’s Transparency Standard will become mandatory for all partners seeking to verify the use of CmiA cotton in their products. Introduced in 2025, the standard adds stronger security through:
- Digital Transaction Documents (DTDs)
- Independent ISO-accredited audits
- Risk-based desktop verification processes
Following its successful rollout, AbTF plans to extend the Transparency Standard to include cashmere fibres verified under The Good Cashmere Standard® beginning in 2027.
This expansion marks a significant step toward stronger accountability, sustainability, and trust across the global textile supply chain.