Cotton
Find out more about our approach to sourcing more sustainable cotton
Our goal is to ensure that 100% of the cotton for our clothing continues to be sustainably sourced - a goal we first met in March 2019.
Establishing and maintaining clear minimum sourcing standards
- Reducing water use;
- Reducing the dependency on pesticides and synthetic fertilisers;
- Improving social conditions for farmers; and
- Supporting the economic sustainability of farmers
We committed to source 100% of the cotton we use in M&S products from more sustainable sources, which we met in 2019. We define more sustainable sources as meeting any of the following standards:
Better Cotton Initiative | The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) aims to make global cotton production better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in and better for the sector’s future. BCI takes a mass-balance approach and end product ultimately may not physically contain BCI cotton. |
Fairtrade Certified | Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. Premiums paid go to a communal fund for workers and farmers to use for the benefit of their farms and communities. Suppliers must follow the full chain of custody requirements for Fairtrade certification, including audits where necessary. |
Organic Cotton | Organic cotton is grown without the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilisers. Any product claiming organic status must meet our Organic Material Policy (e.g. meet legal standards for organic fibres and supported by correct documentation and certificates). A minimum of 50% of the product composition is required for Plan A Product Attribute purposes. |
Recycled Cotton | Using reused or recycled cotton in lieu of virgin fibre can improve the sustainability performance of the product. We aspire to use post-consumer waste (e.g. used garments) but post industrial waste (mill waste and noils) are acceptable as an alternative. A minimum of 25% of the product composition which meets our Recycled Textiles Policy (e.g. supported by certification to a recognised recycling standard – namely the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) or RCS Recycled Claim Standard) is required for Plan A Product Attribute purposes. |
In March 2019, we achieved our goal of ensuring that 100% of the cotton for our clothing is sustainably sourced. This amounted to around 45,000 metric tonnes of more sustainable cotton lint. The majority of this was met by sourcing BCI cotton, with the remainder made up of organic, recycled cotton or Fairtrade.
As per our Responsible Cotton Sourcing Policy, we do not source cotton from the following countries or regions.
Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan
Following the human rights abuses taking place in the Uyghur population in Western China, we were one of the first companies to formally sign the Call to Action on human rights abuses (Brand Commitment to Exit the Uyghur Region) and committed to ban Xinjiang cotton from its supply chain. This is in line with the company’s long-term focus on ensuring its supply chains are sustainable and ethical, where workers are treated fairly, and their human rights are respected.
All our suppliers must declare the cotton country of origin to us, and we are working with our suppliers and partners to strengthen our due diligence processes. If a product is found to contain cotton originating from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan or Xinjiang, we reserve the right to cancel that order or return items to the supplier at their expense.
Supporting market transformation through working with industry partners, standard setting organisations and other stakeholders
- Demonstrating the inherent benefits of Better Cotton production, particularly the financial profitability for farmers;
- Reducing the impact of water and pesticide use on human and environmental health;
- Improving soil health and biodiversity building climate resilience in cotton producing regions;
- Promoting decent working conditions for farming communities and cotton farm workers;
- Facilitating global knowledge exchange on more sustainable cotton production; and
- Increasing the traceability along the cotton supply chain.
Our impact from sourcing Better Cotton:
In 2020, M&S sourced 28,436,047 kg of cotton through the Better Cotton Initiative. This means that over that period:
- An estimated 12.8 billion litres of water were saved
- Over 8,290 kg of pesticides were avoided
- BCI Farmers benefited from an estimated £5 million additional profit*
*BCI Farmers experience profit increases due to a variety of reasons, most commonly due to increased yields and/or optimized use of inputs (such as irrigation water, pesticides or synthetic fertilizer).