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New research reveals significant sustainability benefits of Fairtrade organic cotton in India as compared to conventional

PARIS, France – Fairtrade certified organic cotton in India is associated with better environmental outcomes than non-Fairtrade cotton, according to a new study released today at the first International Fairtrade Textile Forum in Paris.

Commissioned by Fairtrade India, the study was conducted in six of the top cotton-producing states in India and was designed to detect differences between farms that are both Fairtrade and organic certified, farms that are non-Fairtrade and using conventional methods, and some variations in between, including Fairtrade farms in the process of converting to organic.

Cotton that was both Fairtrade and organic or converting to organic outperformed conventional cotton in the areas of greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and avoidance of chemicals, according to the study.

Key findings include:

  • Fairtrade organic cotton generated 45% less greenhouse gas emissions, at 862 kg carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) per hectare compared to 1,563 kg CO₂e per hectare for non-Fairtrade cotton grown with either organic or conventional methods.
  • 96% of Fairtrade organic and in-conversion farmers avoid chemical pesticide use altogether, as compared with 60% of non-Fairtrade conventional farmers. 73% of Fairtrade organic and in-conversion farms are using Integrated Pest Management, while only 44% of the non-Fairtrade conventional farms do.
  • Fairtrade organic and in-conversion farmers get 20% more cotton from their water use, as measured by water productivity rates of 0.30 kg/m³ compared to 0.25 kg/m³ for non-Fairtrade farmers. At the same time, the Fairtrade organic and in-conversion farmers use 14% less water than conventional farmers, with a water footprint of 4,410 litres/kg of cotton compared to 5,156 litres/kg, underscoring the efficient use of natural resources.
  • Only 5% of Fairtrade organic and in-conversion farmers use synthetic nitrogenous fertilisers, compared to more than nine out of ten conventional farmers. Using organic fertilisers – which 76% of Fairtrade organic farmers do – improves soil health and reduces water pollution and carbon emissions.

The study also revealed that beyond the benefits of organic farming practices, Fairtrade and organic certification provides economic advantages for cotton farmers, as measured through yields and farmgate prices received by farmers. The combination of these factors contributes to better livelihoods and greater environmental sustainability.

  • Fairtrade organic farmers had the highest average cotton lint yields (598 kg/hectare), 13% more than non-Fairtrade average from either organic or conventional production (530 kg/hectare).
  • At the same time, Fairtrade organic farmers earned 4.8% more on average than non-Fairtrade conventional farmers (US$ 898.80 per tonne of seed cotton as compared to US$ 858).

"India is the world’s second-largest producer of cotton, which means adoption of sustainable cotton production practices can play a vital role in addressing climate change while also contributing to greener and fairer fashion," said Abhishek Jani, CEO of Fairtrade India. "The findings provide tangible evidence that the combination of Fairtrade and organic standards not only enhances environmental outcomes but also supports the economic wellbeing of farmers for long-term sustainability."

The study, conducted by a team of independent experts at the Global Agrisystem, and funded by the European Commission (EC) through the Switch-Asia project called "Switching to Green and Fair Fashion," assessed the environmental impact of cotton farming by Fairtrade certified farmers in the Indian states of Gujarat, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu.

The study compared four groups of farms out of the 850-farm sample: 1) Fairtrade and organic certified farms plus Fairtrade farms in conversion to organic (referred to as “FOIC”); 2) Fairtrade and organic certified farms only; 3) non-Fairtrade farms whether using conventional or organic farming methods (“control”); 4) non-Fairtrade farms only practicing conventional farming methods (“control conventional”).

Because most Fairtrade cotton in India is also organic certified or on the way to becoming fully organic, there were few farms that could be used as a strictly Fairtrade non-organic comparison. The researchers therefore found that the findings reflect the overall environmental impact of Fairtrade certified cotton, encompassing organic as well as in-conversion farms.

The measures included in the study were based on the Delta Framework, a globally recognized set of metrics developed to measure the sustainability of agricultural practices, while the Cool Farm Tool – an evidence-backed online calculator – was used for some of the data analysis. Researchers analysed qualitative survey data and soil samples.

The first-ever International Fairtrade Textile Forum on 17 October 2024 is hosted by the Fairtrade member organisation Max Havelaar France. It features producers, brands, and other experts in discussions about the environmental, social, and traceability challenges in the cotton industry, and how Fairtrade can help build more sustainable supply chains.