Better Cotton shifts to certification model

Better Cotton has announced its official transition into becoming a certification scheme, contributing to efforts of boosting “impartiality and independence” among its business. Farm-level certification decisions will now be outsourced to independent third parties.

Tom Owen, head of certification at the non-profit organisation, dedicated to promoting better standards in the cotton supply chain, said the move to a certification model “will not only strengthen our current approach, but also enable us to continue driving meaningful industry-wide change”.

This aligns with new legislation within the EU specifically targeting the way in which sustainability is marketed to consumers. According to the European Commission, product labels based on third-party certification schemes can only be used going forward.

Better Cotton noted that it would still continue to monitor a global network of “farmer-focused organisations”, however, with the addition of third-party reviews, it hopes to “identify areas of non-conformity” and ensure more visibility throughout.

In further efforts to increase demand for sustainably produced cotton, suppliers and manufacturers seeking to source Physical Better Cotton must be certified against the Chain of Custody Standard.

Brands and retailers wishing to implement the associated cotton product will later be eligible to use new product labels that highlight their commitment. As such, from May 2026, the Better Cotton Mass Balance On Product Mark will be phased out.