Luxury apparel brand Hugo Boss has become a cooperation partner of the Cotton Made in Africa (CMiA) initiative, joining the likes of Bestseller, ASOS, Otto Group and Jack & Jones in opting for CMiA’s sustainably sourced textiles.
Hugo Boss’ Director of Global Sustainability, Andreas Streubig believes CMiA cotton meets the firms “exacting requirements for high-quality, sustainable cotton.” At present the company counts 40 per cent of the cotton it uses as ‘sustainable’, this, it’s hoped will grow to exceed 90 per cent by 2025.
The luxury brand notes that cotton plays a significant role in its collective garment ranges. With the proliferation of more ‘sustainable’ alternatives on the market, it has to date increased its investment in such stock, and has committed to sourcing an additional ten per cent of sustainable cotton by next year, with almost all of its use of the textile to be galvanised within the next five years. CMiA has the backing of a number of brands with global distribution capacities, it also has the support of cotton companies, traders and industry initiatives such as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and Textile Exchange.
The Cotton Made in Africa operates on the principle that partnering brands and retailers pay a licence fee for all products bearing the CMia label. This income is subsequently piled back into the work of the initiative throughout Africa, where investment helps scale up operations, train farmers on best cultivation practices and fund new projects across the continent. Around one million smallholder farmers in eleven countries are currently participating in the initiative, through which their cotton is sold to more than 40 international textile companies and brands.
