Combating poverty goes hand-in-hand with protecting the environment in developing countries according to the Aid by Trade Foundation, an organisation established in 2005 by Dr.
Michael Otto to encourage eco-awareness and promote environmental protection in Africa.
The organisation has three primary aims: to improve the cotton-growing process to making it more of a sustainable industry; to enhance the competitiveness of African cotton on the global market; and to introduce a new dimension of corporate responsibility for all involved in production and manufacturing.
To improve social conditions in Africa and to begin to redress the growing social gap between the rich and the poor, it's necessary to pursue sustainable resource usage and regional projects that keep the environment at the forefront of any future developments, which in turn ensures that the future is safeguarded for the coming generations.
This is because soil pollution, environmental damage, and the depletion of drinking water resources are all issues inextricable from the use and abuse of natural resources in a non-sustainable manner.
Why exactly is Aid by Trade focusing on the production of cotton in Africa? It's simply because African cotton is a high-quality material with long handpicked fibres.
Grown in the regions south of the Sahara without the use of environmentally damaging artificial irrigation, the small-hold producers practice rain-field cultivation whereby the natural rainfall is crucial to the development of the crops.
As these farmers grow their cotton in rotation with basic food crops, an excellent base is in place for sustainable cultivation.
However, the danger to the farmers and the environment is posed by the inappropriate or excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers, especially in the cases where the families are not able to read the instructions on these often-poisonous products.
This can furthermore pose a serious threat to drinking water resources.
In terms of support for the project, numerous international retailers and textile apparel manufacturers have already gotten on board, including the Otto Group, Tchibo, Puma, and Tom Tailor.
Global partner Avery Dennison is the primary supplier of the "Cotton made in Africa" labels, which provide the quality seal for garments produced under the auspices of the programme.
The "Cotton made in Africa" project aims to create a new dimension of social responsibility and to provide an equitable and responsible plan for the future, or in its own words, "a fair deal.
" The benefits of the project are numerous, for the cotton producers in Africa to the large textile manufacturers, but also for the consumers around the world who are seeking ecologically and socially responsible products.
The "Cotton made in Africa" woven clothing labels are the key to identifying the campaign for the rapidly expanding target audience of socially and environmentally conscious consumers around the world.