Superdry is the only global fashion brand to commit to converting the number of farmers needed to meet our organic cotton requirement.
We are committed to investing in converting 20,000 cotton farmers by 2025 to organic farming practices.
Organic has many positive environmental impacts and is crucial to our journey in not only reducing our water footprint. Organic soil is known to lock away, or sequester, far more carbon than conventional soils.
Organic was less than 1% of last year’s cotton harvest, to meet our 100% organic goal sustainably, we need to invest in its supply.
Since 2018, we have been investing in organic farming in India. This year was our biggest yet – training 12,787 farmers on organic farming practices.
To grow any organic crop, the land must go through a conversion period. This is the time between the start of a farmer implementing organic practices, and the acceptance of crops as certified organic by the market.
This process takes three years.
About a third of the world’s soil is already degraded… generating two to three centimetres of topsoil takes 1,000 years.
“Farmers in the OCA Farm Programme earned, on average,6% higher net income than conventional farmers from their cotton.” Organic Cotton Accelerator 2022
Over the course of the project, organic farming experts from bioRe Foundation, SymbioFarms, Chetna Organics, Suminter, Changemakers and Action for Social Advancement (ASA) in India provide regular training, tools such as GMO-free seeds, organic fertilisers and pesticides, and market access for their cotton.
The Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) keeps in touch with the projects to validate the impacts of the training, organic inputs, and any premium earned on the market.
We are supporting these farmers through this three-year journey by buying their ‘in conversion’ cotton at a premium.
We also donated seeds upfront to farmers – helping them avoid interest charges from borrowing early in the season.
The reality is that from day one of conversion, the farmer follows stringent organic farming practices and sees better soils and lower production costs. ‘In conversion’ cotton is emerging as a sustainable cotton option and will likely become more recognisable to customers in coming years.
In the meantime, farmers in this group have two years left until they can call their cotton organic – and we will continue to support them every step of the way.
“The training in how to make our own natural pesticides and bio-input fertiliser has been useful; it has saved my family money and has stopped us from buying harmful chemicals. I am excited for more.”
- Tanki Bai Kutriya, 53
Lead farmer, second year in-conversion to organic cotton through Remei/Symbiofarms Gulzara, Madhya Pradesh, India