Our Approach
Always looking ahead
Sustainability is part of ECOM’s core values. It motivates us to constantly innovate and find new ways of securing cotton’s future. Our roots in cotton go all the way back to 1849, when the company was founded in Barcelona, Spain. Today, we’re building on close to two-centuries of experience not simply to meet, but to anticipate, the industry’s challenges. We have a diverse range of people worldwide working on finding solutions to concerns such as soil restoration, efficient water management, farmer support, regenerative agriculture practices, gender equality, and child labour across every part of the supply chain. ECOM’s goal is for farmers to produce more and better products and for cotton farming to provide opportunities for dignified and profitable livelihoods for generations to come.
At its most fundamental level, sustainability at ECOM means ensuring an orderly business environment, where valued relationships and the sharing of information reduces supply chain risks, costs, and inefficiencies. Our sustainability work should lead to better business results through better supply chain relationships, lower risk and lower supply chain costs.
ECOM is continuously developing internal capacities and systems to maintain the pace of its innovation and also foster collaboration within its networks and across markets.
To find out more about our programmes, get in touch at contactcotton@ecomtrading.com.
Our innovative approach means we can offer our mills and brands several sustainable cotton options. Each has its own certification, to give our partners and the end consumer confidence that they’ve made a choice they can trust.
Certified Cotton
We work with a variety of international cotton programmes and certificates such as Better Cotton (BC), regenagri®, Responsible Brazilian Cotton program (ABR), US Cotton Trust Protocol (USCTP), my Best Management Practices (myBMP), Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), and Cotton made in Africa (CMiA), amongst others.
Sustainability at ECOM
We are at the forefront of sustainability and leverage our experience and diversity to foster responsible sourcing and farmers’ empowerment. ECOM focuses on promoting market-driven solutions to systemic challenges of cotton production: soil health, water management, and resilience to climate change. This includes capacity building, impact management, technology platforms, experimental plots, and traceability.
Together on traceability
Traceability is key to the success of cotton’s sustainability.
ECOM is committed to working with all the industry bodies that are improving traceability in Cotton.
The following list consists of traceability tools that we can provide to clients on request depending on certification or programme:
1.Chain-of-Custody to track the movement and handling of cotton through the supply chain
-Helps with transparency and compliance
- Depending on the certification, traceability can be combined with blockchain or other digital platforms
-Transaction and Scope certificates with selected certifications
-Gin Level traceability from most origins
2.Upon Request -Taggant (Physical) Traceability
-Physical or chemical marker added to cotton
-Best for verifying specific origin claims
3.Upon Request -Forensic Traceability
-Tests the inherent chemical characteristics of cotton
-Confirms geographic origin
Our vision is to promote good practices in how cotton is grown, sourced and used. We’re innovating and collaborating across every part of the supply chain, with a focus on people and the planet. We’re setting up financial solutions and making communities more resilient. At the field level, we’re exploring regenerative practices, improving biodiversity, and restoring ecosystems.
Our programmes include training and education initiatives on natural resource management, carbon insets, soil management and regenerative agriculture, eradicating child labour, setting up financial solutions and making communities more resilient. At the field level, we’re exploring regenerative practices, improving biodiversity, and restoring ecosystems.
Map
List
Where we operate
Key programmes
Our programmes are aligned with international sustainability and regenerative agriculture standards and certifications in various origins, covering the 3 pillars of sustainability (social, environmental and economic). Therefore, we’re exploring regenerative practises cotton, amending soil health and biodiversity, improving water management practices, rescuing wild varieties and promoting endangered species. To make sure our programmes have the impact we want to achieve, we work on data management, transparency and traceability as well.
Projects
Mexico
regenagri®
Better Cotton
Projects
USA - programmes in TX, AR, GA
regenagri®
US Cotton Trust Protocol (Levels 1 & 2)
Transitional Organic TX Department of Agriculture
Better Cotton (including Physical)
GOTS
Projects
Brazil
regenagri®
ABR
Better Cotton
Côte d'ivoire
West Africa
Contact us
CMiA
Better Cotton (including Physical)
Grèce
Greece
Contact us
regenagri®
EU Cotton
Better Cotton
Australie
Australia
Contact us
regenagri®
myBMP
Better Cotton
Türkiye
Turkey
Contact us
regenagri®
Better Cotton
GOTS
OCS
Oeko-Tex Organic Cotton
Espagne
Spain
Contact us
regenagri®
EU Cotton
Better Cotton
Inde
India
Contact us
regenagri®
Better Cotton (including Physical)
GOTS
