BCI is a non-profit organisation that aims to make global cotton production better for the environment and for the people who produce it. The initiative focuses on a worldwide transformation of conventionally grown cotton which will have a positive impact on our environment.
Cotton is Lindex most commonly used fibre and we are a member of Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) since we want to contribute to improving the conventionally grown cotton. BCI educate farmers to use more environmentally friendly, but also socially and economically sustainable, cultivation methods. The methods include reducing the use of water, pesticides and moving from artificial to natural fertilisers.
BCI is an initiative working to change the cotton cultivation globally and on a large scale. Better Cotton is not kept separated from field to factory like organic cotton, instead it´s connected to a mass-balance system. The mass-balance system can be compared to when you buy renewable electricity, for example wind power, as you contribute to a cleaner electricity production rather than ensuring that a specific wind power electricity ends up in your own electrical outlet. The mass balance system enables greater availability and faster scaling of more sustainable cotton globally.
BCI aims to have helped with the transition of five million cotton farmers to smarter cultivation techniques by the end of 2020, which covers 30 percent of the global cotton production. The fact that 5 million cotton farmers use more sustainable cultivation methods will make a big difference for cotton cultivation and the environment in a global perspective.
The knowledge which the cotton farmers receive has a major positive impact on their livelihood. Gender equality plays a big role in the educations of cotton farmers and other social aspects are also being addressed, such as child labour being forbidden. BCI also teach farmers about the harmful effects working in the fields have on the health – physically and mentally. When using pesticides and fertilizers in a more responsible way the health of the cotton farmers improves along with their economic situation getting better as their harvests increases.