Better Cotton Joins The "Make The Label Count" Coalition To Advocate For Enhanced Sustainability Standards In Fashion
Image By Courtesy of BETTER COTTON
Geneva 4th December – Better Cotton, the largest cotton sustainability program in the world, is proud to announce its partnership with the Make The Label Count coalition.
This partnership underscores the organization's commitment to advocating for accurate, science-based sustainability metrics in the fashion and textile industries.
Better Cotton joins over 50 natural fiber organizations and environmental groups in calling for the European Commission to urgently revise its Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology.
Currently, the PEF calculations lead to misleading sustainability claims by undervaluing the environmental benefits of natural fibers like cotton while overlooking the significant environmental impacts of synthetic materials.
The Coalition Highlights Flaws In The Existing Methodology,
Which currently suggests that a 100% polyester t-shirt is 42% more sustainable than a 100% cotton t-shirt. Such conclusions fail to account for critical factors unique to synthetic fibers, including :
Microplastic emissions that pollute ecosystems worldwide.
Post-consumer plastic waste that burdens landfills.
The non-renewable nature of synthetic materials, which contrasts with the renewability of natural fibers such as cotton.
Hélène Bohyn, Policy & Advocacy Manager at Better Cotton, emphasized the significance of this movement by saying:"Make the Label Count is an incredibly important movement. EU regulators are shaping the future of the fashion and textile sectors as we speak. The methodology they adopt will play the hugely important role of telling the story of sustainability progress across our industry and beyond, and will be critical to eradicating greenwashing.”
The coalition aims to empower consumers to make truly sustainable choices, support natural fiber producers, and hold brands accountable for their environmental claims.
Together, Better Cotton and its partners in the coalition are urging the European Commission to adopt a more holistic and scientifically robust approach to measuring the environmental impact of textiles, ensuring that critical issues such as microplastic pollution and renewability are properly addressed.
About Better Cotton
Better Cotton is committed to improving global cotton production for farmers, the environment, and the future of the fashion and textile industries.
By championing sustainable practices and promoting ethical sourcing, Better Cotton seeks to drive meaningful change within one of the world's most important industries.
