14
All sewn up
‘Small-scale cotton
farmers in Third World
countries face huge
challenges competing
with larger-scale
subsidised cotton from
places such as the US’
Photograph courtesy of the Max Havelaar
Foundation (Switzerland)
Cotton production has long been dominated
by the big players. But Fairtrade is
redressing the situation. Niall Byrne reports
ALTHOUGH the use of cotton in the textiles adopt Fairtrade standards in its clothing cotton from places such as the US. The fact
industry has declined, it is the most impor- range came from a variety of sources, says that Jack & Jones, one of the strongest male
tant natural fibre in the world, accounting Trine Pedersen — buyer for Jack & Jones at clothing brands in Europe, is launching this
for 38pc of the fibre market. Two thirds of Bestseller — but it was not a completely JJ ECO range is a great example of how big
the world’s cotton originates in four coun- radical change. businesses are beginning to ‘cotton on’ to
tries: China, the US, India and Pakistan. “We have been working with sustainable the Third World suppliers and produce
World market prices for cotton fluctuate fashion and monitoring the environmental products that make a positive difference,”
a lot and are often so low they do not cover impact from our production through our says executive director of Fairtrade Mark
farmers’ production costs. suppliers over several years and it became a Ireland, Peter Gaynor.
The cotton industry got into the Fairtrade natural next step to launch a collection It’s a little early to tell what impact the
swing of things in 2005 when cotton produced from Fairtrade-certified cotton. It certification has made on Jack & Jones’s
became the first non-food commodity to is an organic collection as well,” she says. business but expectations are good, despite
carry the FAIRTRADE Mark. The cotton used for the production of the some of the challenges it faces.
Fairtrade works with producers from dev- JJ ECO line comes from various small farm- “The prices for our JJ ECO collection in
eloping countries organised in association ers from the federal state of Gujarat in organic and Fairtrade cotton are around 20-
with and certified by Fairtrade Labelling north-western India. The Fairtrade certifi- 25pc more expensive than our normal
Organizations International (FLO), the inter- cation makes sure these farmers get a guar- products,” says Pedersen. “Organic and
national Fairtrade certification body. anteed minimum price as well as a Fairtrade garments are a lot about feelings
Products with the FAIRTRADE Mark are Fairtrade premium, which is used for local and should be sold for reasons other than
sold by various companies using alternative social and economic projects. price. Everything is about the demands of
brand names. Last December fashion retai- Among other things, in Gujarat the peo- the market; however, we believe the con-
ler Jack & Jones launched its JJ ECO collec- ple have spent their Fairtrade premium on: sumer is willing to pay a bit more for these
tion, including T-shirts, sweatshirts and new books for the local school; a watering authentic products,” says Pedersen.
jeans. The products are made in Europe but system with an electric pump for the fields; Fairtrade cotton products are also avail-
use Fairtrade-certified cotton from India. solar panels; and a deposit to buy extra land. able from Marks and Spencer, Oxfam,
Not only does the JJ ECO collection carry “Small-scale cotton farmers in Third Topshop, Fable Clothing, The People’s
the FAIRTRADE Mark, it has the added World countries face huge challenges Republic of Cork, BellEtik and Dunnes
advantage of being organic. The decision to competing with larger-scale subsidised Stores.
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