Press release
Under embargo until 00:01am GMT Wednesday, 11 March 2026
CottonConnect’s Impact Report 2025 underscores the power of farmer-level action and supply chain traceability in advancing textile sustainability
Driven by its long-term work with farmers, ginners, and brand partners, CottonConnect’s newest report reveals measurable gains in soil health, biodiversity, gin safety compliance, and traceability.
11 March – CottonConnect’s impact report shows how farmer-level action can lead to biodiversity gains alongside a 34.9% higher growth in farmer profits*. The findings come as part of the social enterprise’s Impact Report 2025, published today, showcasing that its REEL Regenerative Programme is benefitting supply chains from the ground-up.
Amid mounting regulatory pressure for certification and supply chain transparency, including the European Union’s rollout of Digital Product Passports, brands and retailers are increasingly required to prove that supply chains are not just traceable, effectively managed according to recognized ethical and sustainability standards. CottonConnect is supporting organisations to strengthen resilience through a layered approach to raw material sourcing, from farm groups to finished product.
During the year 2024-25, over 260,000 farmers were trained through CottonConnect’s REEL Regenerative Programme.
Compared to control groups, participating project farmers demonstrated:
- 127.3% increased use of natural pesticide
- 107.6% increased use of natural fertiliser
These changes contributed to restoration of organic matter and biological activity in agricultural soils. When combined with CottonConnect’s REEL Cotton programme, global results also showed a 34.9% growth in farmer profits through a 15.4% reduction in input costs and a 7.5% improvement in yields.
A small-scale biodiversity tracking project using AgriSound devices in the REEL Regenerative programme project and control farms in Gujarat, India, identified early signs of environmental benefits:
- A 62.6% increase in bee activity at the monitored sites
- Nearly double the number of plant species
The programme is underpinned by CottonConnect’s REEL Regenerative Code, created in 2021 in consultation with farmers and local implementing partners. Last year, the Code was transitioned into a certified sustainability standard, bolstered by independent governance. This shift aligns with emerging requirements for certification to substantiate sustainability claims.
Further down the supply chain, CottonConnect has also expanded its Responsible Business for Gins programme to more gins and regions, aiming to enhance human rights compliance and worker welfare, protection, and residential facilities. Aggregated results from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, and Türkiye in 2024-2025 showed safety compliance increased 71% to 93%, and adoption of precautionary measures increased from 86% to 92%.
Closing the loop on this push for ethical standards and regenerative agriculture is traceability. Last year, 152,174 MT of lint cotton fibres were tracked through CottonConnect’s digital traceability tool, TraceBale, providing brands with verified data to support ongoing compliance.
Alison Ward, CEO of CottonConnect, commented:
“This year’s report reflects how practical changes at farm and gin level can translate into measurable improvements across the textile supply chain. The combination of large-scale regenerative and human rights due diligence training alongside end-to-end traceability shows the value of collaboration with farmers, ginners, and brand partners.
“The biodiversity increases from our regenerative programme, alongside higher compliance across gins, demonstrate that targeted interventions can both support ecosystems and improve working conditions. While there is more to do as regulatory expectations rise in 2026, brands and retailers who center regenerative and ethical practices will feel the benefits.”
ENDS
Note to the editor
*This was achieved by farmers who took part in CottonConnect’s Regenerative and Cotton REEL Programmes, as compared to control group farmers.
About CottonConnect
CottonConnect is a social enterprise that enables global brands to build resilient and traceable supply chains to source cotton and other crops. Its approach combines TraceBale, CottonConnect’s unique traceability technology, with innovative on-the-ground training for farmers, to drive transformation of farming and production practices in the textile industry. This holistic approach provides customers with better raw material, from farm to finished product. CottonConnect’s commitment to regenerative farming, best-practice standards and codes brings benefits for all stakeholders, supporting global brands in working towards their business and ESG goals, enhancing the lives and livelihoods of workers, amplifying the voices of rural communities, and helping to conserve and restore the local ecosystems within the supply chain.
Find out more: www.cottonconnect.org