Last year, we supported our Cotton Diaries Youth Ambassadors, Ani Wells and Anne Oudard in publishing #WhoMadeMyCotton Step 1 (Brands & Retailers), an important research which uncovers the roadblocks to transparency in the cotton system. The in-depth research maps the cotton supply chain to identify the roadblocks for radical transparency exploring the challenges faced at the brand and retailer level, the mill, the spinner, the ginner, the merchant, and the farmer.
The first step in the study interviewed 27 denim professionals from brands and retailers to understand their roadblocks in tracing their cotton back to the farm.
“We tried to ask the questions and we tried to
get as many answers as possible, but do we get all the answers that we need?
Not necessarily.”
This year, we’ve been working in #Whomademycotton Step 2 (Mills, Spinners and Weavers). This time dealing with traceability and transparency at the denim mills and spinners. Talking with 12 denim professionals to understand the gap between the reality of farming and the denim industry.
“The cost is, so far, our biggest challenge. (Brands) are interested, they want to (trace their cotton) but the contribution is not there”