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Frequently Asked Questions
Better Cotton is a cotton production standard that aims for environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable cotton production. This standard consists of criteria grouped under six main principles, covering everything from pesticide use and soil health to water consumption and working conditions for cotton producers. Farmers who meet these criteria are called Better Cotton farmers, and the cotton they produce is classified as Better Cotton licensed cotton.
When we talk about quality, we're not just referring to the physical properties of cotton, but also its growing conditions. Many factors influence the quality of the cotton production process, such as using the correct amount of water, growing it in a way that doesn't deplete the soil, avoiding unnecessary pesticides, not harming the natural environment, and not using child labor in cotton production. When quality is perceived in this way, Better Cotton is cotton where the production process is of higher quality; however, if only the physical fiber properties are considered, Better Cotton is no different from regular cotton.
The Better Cotton Standard, implemented in the United States, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Israel, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, and many African countries, is practiced by 1.5 million farmers in 23 countries across 5 continents according to 2015 figures.
The aim is to promote the widespread production and consumption of cotton produced under more sustainable standards. According to 2016 figures, Better Cotton licensed cotton production accounts for 14% of global cotton production, with a target of 30% by 2020.
As the organization that developed and disseminated this standard, the Better Cotton Initiative aims to transform cotton production processes globally, replacing conventional cotton with Better Cotton-licensed sustainable cotton. In this context, the Better Cotton standard has aimed to and succeeded in entering many countries with socio-economically diverse production practices.
IPUD, the Better Cotton Practices Association, is a non-governmental organization established in 2013. Its membership base encompasses leading institutions in the cotton sector, from field to garment production. IPUD's aim is to make cotton production processes in Turkey more sustainable. To this end, IPUD is responsible for the implementation of the Better Cotton standard in Turkey through a strategic partnership agreement signed with the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), the founder of the Better Cotton standard. IPUD is responsible for finding and training local partners for Better Cotton cultivation throughout Turkey, coordinating farmer training, conducting necessary farmer and local partner audits, and licensing on behalf of BCI. For more information about IPUD's organizational structure, please visit its website: www.iyipamuk.org.tr
Brands that prioritize sustainable production processes and strive to transform their supply chains accordingly are also demanding that their raw materials come from sustainable sources. In this context, many brands that use cotton as a raw material encourage the sourcing of Better Cotton-standard cotton within their own supply chains. For more information about these brands, please visit the Better Cotton Initiative website: www.bettercotton.org
In Türkiye, there are many yarn, textile, and garment companies that supply products to brands requesting Better Cotton licensed cotton. These companies not only strive to meet customer demands but also, within the framework of their corporate social responsibility strategies, are aware of the importance of cotton sustainability and are working towards it.
The production quantities in Türkiye over the years, following the first Better Cotton harvest in 2013, are shown in the table below. As of 2017, the provinces where we operate are Adana, Aydın, Denizli, Diyarbakır, Hatay, İzmir, Kahramanmaraş, and Şanlıurfa.
Our association aims to involve more cotton-producing regions and more cotton farmers in this production process. In this context, our target for 2020 is to cover 20% of Türkiye's cotton production.
The growing awareness of sustainability in global markets is causing a daily increase in demand for sustainable cotton both worldwide and in Türkiye. It is predicted that the demand for sustainable cotton will continue to increase rapidly over time, and that major cotton-producing countries will sooner or later need to adapt to this change. As IPUD, we aim to help cotton producers in Türkiye adapt to this change process without delay.
By ensuring the implementation of sustainability standards like the Better Cotton standard, which is increasingly recognized by many countries, in Türkiye, we are contributing to both the production of Turkish cotton in more environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable ways, and to enabling the Turkish cotton, yarn, textile, and ready-made garment sectors to keep pace with the growing global demand in this direction.
The main goal of the Better Cotton standard is to enable cotton producers to produce without losing yield, while protecting soil and environmental health, by optimizing the use of inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, water, and fuel, and at the same time reducing the input costs for farmers.
In this context, the Better Cotton standard benefits cotton farmers in three ways: ensuring the health of the soil and natural environment for longer periods and passing it on to future generations, increasing profitability by reducing input costs, and gaining a competitive edge in the growing global demand for sustainable cotton.
All data related to cotton production from farmers producing Better Cotton is collected by our association. All data, from inputs used in cotton production to general application methods, from seasonal climate issues to farmer costs, is collected and compiled into harvest reports at the end of the year. This data reveals the differences between farmers who apply Better Cotton standards and those who do not (control farmers) under equal conditions. According to this data, Better Cotton farmers use less pesticides, fertilizers, and water compared to control farmers. Details of this data can be found in the Harvest Reports published on our association's website: http://iyipamuk.org.tr/sayfa/1636/better_cotton/better_cotton_initiative_hasat_raporlari.html
Compared to other countries, cotton farmers in Türkiye are at a very good level in terms of agricultural practices and yields. However, there is always room for improvement. The points required to comply with the Better Cotton standard can be briefly summarized under 6 main headings.
The use of correct pesticide application methods, ensuring efficient and effective water use, implementing fertilization and tillage practices that prioritize soil health, protecting natural life, carrying out practices that preserve fiber quality, and ensuring the rights and working conditions of employees within the scope of decent work.
All farmers who believe they are producing according to these six principles can contact us to produce under the Better Cotton standard.
IPUD primarily identifies local organizations that can directly monitor cotton farmers. It trains project managers and field personnel within these organizations on the requirements of the standard and provides support throughout the season. In addition to farmer training conducted locally by these organizations, it organizes regional farmer and worker training programs. It also conducts field and local partner audits to check compliance with the standard and makes licensing decisions. By bringing together actors in cotton production (research institutes, universities, private individuals and institutions), it carries out projects aimed at removing obstacles to more sustainable production. Furthermore, it monitors, organizes, and reports on data collected by local partners. It also maintains communication with BCI to work towards both the development of the standard and its dissemination in Türkiye.
Better Cotton licenses are granted to groups of farmers. Farmers wishing to produce according to this standard are grouped under local partners designated by IPUD, and their practices are supported and monitored by these organizations. In addition, licensing decisions are made based on field audits conducted by IPUD and independent auditing organizations, and observations of the work done by local partners throughout the year. It is important for farmers in the same group to communicate with each other to improve their practices. Small and medium-sized farmers bear no costs in these training and licensing processes. IPUD implements the necessary collaborations and practices to ensure that all these support and monitoring mechanisms do not cost the farmer anything. The only exception is large-scale farmers over 200 hectares; the system allows large-scale farm operations to obtain licenses individually, not under a group, and these farms are audited by independent auditing organizations. The farmer bears the cost of this audit.
The entire licensing and inspection process covers only the on-field production of cotton and, in addition, the separate processing of Better Cotton licensed cotton at the ginning plant. IPUD does not encompass monitoring and inspecting other supply chain actors from the moment the cotton leaves the ginning plant. The primary goal of this standard is to make on-field production activities sustainable.
Achieving the Better Cotton standard for cotton production in Türkiye is not as difficult as it might seem. We observe the positive impact of sustainability standards, such as Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), implemented under ministerial supervision, on Turkish farmers reaching this level. The approaches and practices of farmers who previously implemented the GAP standard are quite close to the Better Cotton criteria. To ensure the spread of sustainable cotton farming, we believe that farmers producing in this way should be incentivized by the state, as was done in the past with the GAP. In this context, cotton farmers who engage in sustainable production should be supported, whether it's Good Agricultural Practices, Better Cotton, or another standard.
In addition, there are some issues that farmers cannot handle on their own but can be improved through public infrastructure investments. For example, the widespread adoption of closed, pressurized irrigation systems, the purification of our water resources from industrial waste, and the collection of empty pesticide containers are issues that farmers cannot solve individually and require public intervention. Furthermore, it is important that the relevant ministries make the monitoring of many issues more effective, from the control of banned pesticides to the use of protective clothing by pesticide applicators; from protecting the legal rights of cotton workers to regulating living and transportation issues.
Furthermore, it is crucial for cotton, yarn, textile, and apparel stakeholders to embrace and support the Better Cotton standard and IPUD, its implementer in Türkiye, in order to make their respective sectors more sustainable.