Hamburg, Germany – The non-profit Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) is setting a new benchmark for its traceability program.

Its current tracking system, which was established in 2018, monitors whether yarns, fabrics and textiles were produced using exclusively cotton verified under the Regenerative Cotton Standard (RCS) and Cotton made in Africa (CmiA). It will go one step further.

“In future, independent auditors will regularly check whether the transparency requirements of the new standard are reliably adhered to in the supply chain,” said Gerlind Bäz, a senior project manager at the Aid by Foundation.

The new transparency standard is rolling out during Q1 2025.

It will include:

• Risk-based desktop audits by independent auditors, which will review both tracking-system data for all production stages and associated documents, such as production reports and delivery notes.
• Digital transaction documents (DTDs), which will be created digitally and validated regularly by independent auditors to trace CmiA and RCS cotton back through the supply chain.
• Regular self-assessment questionnaires for all stages of the supply chain.
• On-site onboarding audits for spinning mills, conducted by independent audit companies.

“Being able to prove where a product’s raw materials come from – and being able to trace them throughout the textile production process, back to the cotton field – is essential for companies and brands today,” said Tina Stridde, managing director of the Aid by Trade Foundation.

See also:

• Indo Count aims to move the needle on agricultural practices in India
• Boll & Branch CEO touts “transparency redefined”
• Better Cotton expands its efforts in West Africa

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