Together with our business partners, we are committed to achieving long-term sustainable improvements in the cultivation of cotton. By 2025, our own-brand ALDI garments and textiles will contain 100% sustainable cotton.
Chances and challenges in cotton production
Cotton accounts for the majority of fibres used in ALDI garments and household textiles. It is a strong, breathable and renewable natural resource that is fully biodegradable. At the same time, cotton cultivation and processing are linked to human rights and environmental risks. The intensive use of chemicals and pesticides contaminates soil, nearby rivers and groundwater. Cotton production also requires a large amount of water, which can lead to water scarcity and the conversion of natural habitat for agricultural use endangers existing ecosystems.
Together with our business partners, we strive towards long-term sustainable improvements in cotton cultivation increasing recycling and organic cotton production. We exclude cotton from countries where cultivation and harvesting are systematically associated with human rights violations.
ALDI supports cotton farmers in India in moving from conventional to organic farming. Currently, organic cotton accounts for approximately 1% of the global cotton market. Our long-term goal is to increase the availability of organic cotton. By sourcing directly from farmers, we can secure their businesses whilst they are in the certification process.
The transition from conventional to organic cotton farming takes up to three years. During the transition period, we provide in-depth training for the smallholder farmers. The cotton from this project is used for our own brand products.
ALDI supports cotton farmers in India in moving from conventional to organic farming. Currently, organic cotton accounts for approximately 1% of the global cotton market. Our long-term goal is to increase the availability of organic cotton. By sourcing directly from farmers, we can secure their businesses whilst they are in the certification process.
The transition from conventional to organic cotton farming takes up to three years. During the transition period, we provide in-depth training for the smallholder farmers. The cotton from this project is used for our own brand products.
Certification to increase sustainability
When purchasing cotton, we use independent third party certification schemes that have proven to be reliable and suitable for market-wide implementation. These schemes promote social and environmental standards in the growing and processing of cotton.
Certification schemes we use for our textiles:
Global Organic Textile Standard
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) defines globally recognised requirements for organic textiles. These criteria include controlled organic fibre cultivation, environmentally and socially responsible production and consistent product labelling. Only textiles that contain at least 70% organically cultivated natural fibres can receive GOTS certification. ALDI also accepts GOTS ‘organic - in conversion’ status, which supports farmers in their transitioning period from conventional cotton to organic cotton farming.
Organic Content Standard
The Organic Content Standard (OCS) enables an exact share of ecologically sound materials in a product. It tracks the use of certified, organically produced natural fibres - from fibre creation to the finished product. Depending on the proportion of organically produced fibres contained, the product is certified as “OCS blended” (contains at least 5%) or “OCS 100” (contains 95-100%). ALDI requires cotton in OCS blended labelled products to be of 100% organic origin. Blending is only allowed with non-cotton materials.
Better Cotton
Better Cotton seeks to reduce the negative impacts of cotton production on people and the planet. Farmers are trained on how to eliminate harmful pesticides, use water efficiently and preserve soil fertility. They meet minimum social criteria, including a ban on child and forced labour. Better Cotton is sourced via a system of mass balance. To enhance transparency, the ALDI SOUTH Group uses Better Cotton’s online tracking and tracing system, called the Better Cotton Platform (BCP).
Fairtrade
The Fairtrade standards cover social and economic criteria as well as ecologically sustainable agriculture. Cotton growers sell their cotton at a fixed minimum price, which covers the costs associated with sustainable production. In addition, smallholder cooperatives receive a Fairtrade premium, which is then invested in community projects. Fairtrade promotes environmentally friendly farming practices, prohibits genetic engineering and regulates the use of pesticides.
Cotton made in Africa
'Helping others to help themselves' - Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) offers smallholder farmers training in modern, efficient, and environmentally friendly cultivation methods and provides basic knowledge of business and economics. The CmiA standard includes pre-financing measures, the protection of natural conservation areas, and the ban of genetically modified cottonseed. It complies with the International Labour Organisation's core labour standards and promotes equal rights for women.
Where do our ALDI textiles come from?
We constantly strive to improve sustainability standards and working conditions at all stages of our supply chain: from cotton production to spinning to dyeing, and finally, garment finishing. Most of our textile products are manufactured in production facilities in Asia. To implement our sustainability standards, we work closely with our textile business partners in those areas. Our colleagues from the ALDI SOUTH Group sustainability units in Hong Kong and Bangladesh frequently visit the production facilities to assess the conditions on-site.
It is important to us that our garments and household textiles are produced in an environmentally and socially sound way. Our goal is to expand our range of sustainable textiles and create even more transparency in ALDI’s supply chain. Find out more about our goals and actions for textile products.
Find out more about our policies, initiatives, and projects. The Textile Factsheet provides information about the ALDI SOUTH Group for benchmarking enquiries.
