Consultation initiated by Cotton made in Africa for revising their current standards open to public input
The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF), an internationally renowned non-profit organisation promoting sustainable raw materials, has announced a public consultation on the revision of its Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) standard. The consultation, which runs from September 19, 2025, to November 17, 2025, invites interested parties to provide feedback and actively participate in shaping the future of the sustainable cotton standard.
Founded by Prof. Dr. Michael Otto in 2005, the AbTF has been at the forefront of promoting sustainable cotton production in Africa. Over 60 textile companies and fashion brands use CmiA cotton, enabling around 800,000 small-scale farmers to practice sustainable agriculture.
The latest update to the standard, Version 5.0, focuses on increasing its effectiveness and adapting criteria and indicators to external factors such as biodiversity loss and company reporting requirements. The revision revolves around three elements: precision, reprioritization of objectives, and ensuring indicators for human rights and risk management meet due diligence and corporate sustainability reporting requirements.
The revised standard will include new or reformulated indicators that strengthen biodiversity, climate change resilience, and cooperation between cotton companies and farmers. It aims to support small-scale farmers producing cotton in Africa, protect biodiversity, and give companies access to sustainable resources to fulfill their due diligence obligations.
Alexandra Perschau, the head of the Standards & Outreach Department of AbTF, encourages participation in the public consultation. The public consultation is for the draft of the CmiA Standard Vol. 5.0, and the Excel version of the standard is available for detailed feedback through the online platform.
Feedback on the draft of CmiA Standard Vol. 5.0 can be provided online from September 19 to November 17, 2025. After receiving feedback from the public consultation and the technical advisory group, the AbTF Board of Trustees will seek approval for Version 5.0.
The revision process started in the spring of 2025 with a workshop in Côte d'Ivoire. The AbTF is one of the four sustainability standards under its umbrella, including Cotton made in Africa® (CmiA), Cotton made in Africa Organic (CmiA Organic), Regenerative Cotton Standard® (RCS), and The Good Cashmere Standard® (GCS).
CmiA invests in rural communities through projects in the areas of education, environmental protection, health, and women's empowerment. If approved, Version 5.0 of the CmiA Standard will enter into force in 2026.
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