From the Sector

On the occasion of World Cotton Day 2024, Cotonea presented comprehensive CO2 and energy analyses of a total of 460 fabrics for the first time. Unlike conventional life cycle assessments, the brand analyzes its entire value chain from the cotton plant to the finished fabric and measures energy consumption and associated CO₂ emissions in detail. This enables comprehensive transparency and creates comparability.

“Our analyses and the consistent use of renewable energies along the entire supply chain show that some of our fabrics still act as CO2 sinks even after finishing. This is a clear signal of our commitment to environmental protection,” says Roland Stelzer, Managing Director of the long-established company Elmer & Zweifel and founder of the Cotonea brand.

Precise data
Cotonea examined the CO₂ and energy footprint for a total of 460 different fabrics so precisely that even differences in colors, such as yellow or black, could be determined exactly. Only the energy consumption for the yarn dyeing required for a few fabrics and means of transportation such as trucks, ships and trains as well as the assessment of primary energy sources are based on average values. “Instead of blanket CO₂ footprints or LCAs, we at Cotonea document exactly how our fabrics are manufactured and how much CO₂ and energy are consumed in the individual production stages,” emphasizes Stelzer.

Some fabrics act as CO₂ absorbers even after finishing. This is partly due to the natural CO2-binding properties of cotton fibers in organic cultivation and partly due to the use of hydropower and solar systems in the production facilities.

Advanced technology for comprehensive sustainability
For the analysis, Cotonea, with the support of the Industrieverband Veredelung - Garne - Gewebe - Technische Textilien e.V. (IVGT), used the “Umberto” life cycle assessment software, in which all relevant steps of the production process have been modeled and mapped. The calculations comply with ISO standards 14040 and 14044 for life cycle analysis (LCA). Since the end of 2012, Cotonea has provided items with a product passport that shows the individual production steps. In 2020, the organic cotton brand contributed its supply chain expertise to the “Textile Trust” blockchain project by IBM and Kaya & Kato, which was supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Anlässlich des World Cotton Day weist die Bremer Baumwollbörse auf das Potenzial von Baumwolle zur Gestaltung einer nachhaltigeren Welt hin. Für etwa 100 Millionen Bauern ist Baumwolle eine Existenzgrundlage und für viele Menschen ein Kulturgut, das bis in die Anfänge der menschlichen Zivilisation zurückreicht. Vor sechs Jahren folgten die Vereinten Nationen einem Vorschlag der sogenannten „Cotton Four“, der westafrikanischen Baumwollanbauländer Benin, Burkina Faso, Tschad und Mali, den 7. Oktober zum Weltbaumwolltag zu erklären.

In diesem Jahr wird der Tag von dem westafrikanischen Land Benin ausgerichtet, wo sich über 400 Akteure aus der Baumwollweltgemeinschaft treffen. Aufmerksam gemacht werden soll auf die Vorteile der natürlichen Ressource und ihr Potenzial für wirtschaftliche Entwicklung weltweit. Der World Cotton Day 2024 steht unter dem Motto „Cotton for good“. Zu den diesjährigen Themen gehören regenerative Landwirtschaft und die Förderung von Biodiversität, die Rolle von Frauen in der Baumwollproduktion, die fast die Hälfte der Baumwollfarmer weltweit ausmachen, und die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit von afrikanischen Kleinbauern.

Die Cotton Four Länder als Impulsgeber für den World Cotton Day gehören zu den führenden Baumwollproduzenten Afrikas. Der Beitrag der Baumwollproduktion zum jeweiligen Bruttoinlandsprodukt und der Anteil der Baumwollexporte an den gesamten landwirtschaftlichen Exporterlösen gehört zu den höchsten weltweit. Die Baumwollindustrie ist ein zentraler Pfeiler für die wirtschaftliche und soziale Entwicklung in Benin, Burkina Faso, Tschad und Mali. Baumwolle ist insbesondere für ländliche Gemeinschaften ein Schlüsselsektor für die wirtschaftliche Entwicklung und zur Linderung von Armut.

Ins Leben gerufen wurde der World Cotton Day 2019 am Hauptsitz der Welthandelsorganisation (WTO) in Genf, zusammen mit vier weiteren Gründungsorganisationen, dem Internationalen Baumwollsekretariat (ICAC), dem Internationalen Handelszentrum (ITC), der Welternährungsorganisation (FAO) und der Welthandels- und Entwicklungskonferenz (UNCTAD). Auch die Bremer Baumwollbörse beteiligt sich regelmäßig am Weltbaumwolltag.

• World Cotton Day on 7 October Highlights the Importance of Cotton for Development Policy

Bremen - Stemming from a 2019 initiative of the African Cotton-4 countries Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali, World Cotton Day will take place this year on 7 October. The event is organised by the Geneva-based World Trade Organisation (WTO) and is supported by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the International Cotton Secretariat (ICAC). The Bremen Cotton Exchange is also involved.

“Cotton is often underestimated because it is so natural. Behind it are millions of people, for example many farmers, field workers, employees in ginning factories, logistics providers and traders. We want to honour their achievements,” said the President of the Bremen Cotton Exchange, Stephanie Silber.

According to the WTO, the aim of World Cotton Day is to highlight the global economic importance of cotton and to raise awareness of the raw material by recognising the work of everyone involved in its cultivation, processing and trade. At the same time, within the framework of international cooperation, it is hoped that supporters and investors can be found to aid with technological and economic progress within the cotton value chain.

This time, the entire world cotton community will be involved in World Cotton Day on Wednesday, 7 October 2020. A wide variety of campaigns and events are taking place everywhere to draw attention to the importance of cotton and its possible uses.

Cotton is one of the most relevant agricultural raw materials in the world. Around 26 million tonnes of it are harvested annually. Approximately 150 million people in almost 80 countries around the world live from the cultivation of the natural fibre. A large number of these live in developing countries, where cotton cultivation is of particular importance as a cash crop.

Cotton is known as an agricultural product that is turned into a textile. The raw material is indispensable in fashion and clothing – and has been for thousands of years. But the use of cotton now goes far beyond textiles. For example, cosmetic products such as hand creams and hair shampoo are made from the oil of cotton seeds. The raw material is also used in the manufacture of banknotes, furniture and technical textiles, as well as in medical technology.

Against the background of the current discussion on sustainability and sustainable consumption, the role of natural fibres is becoming even more important. Cotton is biodegradable and a renewable resource. It can be grown again and again in agriculture through cultivation in crop rotation. This secures incomes and enables efficient value creation within the global production and processing chain.

The Bremen Cotton Exchange will actively support World Cotton Day with cross-media coverage. In addition, in time for World Cotton Day, three thematically different, emotionally appealing short films about cotton will be launched. They are aimed at consumers as customers of the textile and clothing trade and provide information about the benefits and properties of cotton and answer questions about its sustainability. In keeping with the times, they will be published via virtual media.