We are pleased to annouce that Albini Group has obtained the membership of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI). 

Albini Group has always been committed to sustainability, to the research and enhancement of the best raw materials and to the control of the supply chain in order to guarantee a complete traceability; that’s why we decided to adhere to this project, another step in our path towards a more sustainable reality.

The BCI, as a not-for-profit organization, aims to make global cotton production progressively better for the people who produce it, for the environment and for the future of the sector.

In fact BCI connects people and organisations across the cotton sector, from field to store, to promote measurable and continuing improvements for the environment, farming communities and the economies of cotton-producing areas.

The key points of the system are:

1. Production Principles and Criteria: providing a global definition of Better Cotton through 6 key principles.

• Better Cotton is produced by farmers who minimise the harmful impact of crop protection practices.
• Better Cotton is produced by farmers who use water efficiently and care for the availability of water.
• Better Cotton is produced by farmers who care for the health of the soil.
• Better Cotton is produced by farmers who conserve natural habitats.
• Better Cotton is produced by farmers who care for and preserve the quality of the fibre.
• Better Cotton is produced by farmers who promote Decent Work.

2. Knowledge Building: supporting and training farmers in growing Better Cotton, through working with experienced partners at field level.
3. Assurance Program: regular farm assessment and measurement of results through consistent results indicators, encouraging farmers to continuously improve.
4. Chain of Custody: connecting supply and demand in the Better Cotton supply chain. Chain of Custody (or CoC) refers to the documentation or chronological trail which shows the order of ownership in the Better Cotton supply chain, and is the key mechanism for determining its authenticity.
5. Claims framework: spreading the word about Better Cotton by communicating powerful data, information and stories from the field.
6. Results and Impact: monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to measure progress/change, to ensure that Better Cotton delivers the intended impact.

The Better Cotton Standard System is a holistic approach to sustainable cotton production which covers all three pillars of sustainability: environmental, social and economic.