Textiles and fashion
Around 60 million people worldwide work in the textile industry. Around 100 million farmers are involved in cotton production. Fairtrade takes a holistic approach and considers the entire supply chain.
Fairtrade-Certified cotton: Ethical textiles for every industry
Workwear, fan gear, linens, and totes - Fairtrade-certified cotton products come in many forms. Their uses are just as varied: from aprons in restaurants to reusable shopping bags in grocery stores, to fan shirts for sports teams and campus gear. No matter the application, every certified textile product supports better living and working conditions for farmers and workers in the Global South—and strengthens the credibility of your sustainability efforts.
Fairtrade offers businesses multiple ways to make their textile supply chains more sustainable. This includes certification labels with rigorous standards, along with training and workshop programs that support long-term impact. Companies can choose to use these tools individually or in combination.
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Improving Conditions Across the Supply Chain
Textiles are among the highest-risk product categories when it comes to human rights violations. From forced labour in cotton farming to low wages for garment workers and poor workplace safety, these issues are deeply embedded in global supply chains.
Fairtrade takes a holistic approach to addressing these challenges—working from the cotton field through to the final textile product. Our goal is to improve conditions at every stage of the supply chain and better protect the people behind the products.
The Fairtrade Cotton Program: A focus on the raw material
Because many of the most severe labour violations happen early in the supply chain, Fairtrade focuses on improving conditions at the source: cotton farming.
The Fairtrade Cotton Program works towards:
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Stable minimum prices and Fairtrade Premiums
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Better working conditions and democratic decision-making
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Protection against exploitative child labour
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Strong environmental standards
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Supply chain accountability
The Fairtrade Textile Standard: A fairer supply chain
The Fairtrade Textile Standard goes beyond cotton to cover the entire supply chain, from fibre processing to finished product. It’s designed to improve the social and environmental conditions of workers at all stages of textile production.
The standard includes:
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- A roadmap to pay living wages to all workers within six years
- Occupational health and safety protections, including maternity leave, paid sick days, and permanent contracts
- A ban on forced labour and exploitative child labour
- Worker committees that help monitor progress and workplace conditions
- Guaranteed freedom of association and the right to unionize
Strict environmental requirements, including bans on hazardous chemicals - Commitments to fair purchasing practices by brands and suppliers
- Independent third-party audits to ensure transparency and compliance
New study: Fairtrade organic cotton has the best environmental impact
Organically grown Fairtrade cotton from India produces significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional cotton, a new study shows. According to the study, cotton certified as both Fairtrade and organic performs significantly better than conventionally grown cotton in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and chemical use. The study also found that Fairtrade and organic certification provide economic benefits to cotton producers, which are reflected in yields and the prices they receive. According to the study, Fairtrade organic farmers earn an average of around 5 percent more than other farmers (US$898.80 per ton of seed cotton compared to US$858).
Read the study
Need more information?
If you're ready to create a more ethical and sustainable supply chain, Fairtrade is here to support you every step of the way.