Boohoo has launched a new range of clothing made from “sustainably grown cotton” in partnership with CottonConnect.

The fast-fashion retailer has trained 2,500 farmers in Pakistan about the benefits of more sustainable cotton production and good business practices.

The process involved “detailed training” at what the company describes as specially developed demonstration plots.

Boohoo said that nothing is wasted during the process, as when cleaning takes place the seeds are captured and used to either replanted or used as a by-product to create cooking oil or as fuel in a local factory.

It added that training “empowers the farmers with the knowledge around the benefits of reducing the use of pesticides”.

The company is using a TraceBale system to track the cotton throughout its supply chain journey.

The cotton is then cleaned using a process called ginning and transported from the field to be spun into yarn, then woven into fabric and dyed. Finally, the fabric is manufactured into the final garment before being photographed ready for the customer to buy.

“We are delighted to be partnering with CottonConnect and the individual farmers in Pakistan,” said Andrew Reaney I have been able to see the project first-hand and the benefits the CottonConnect program provides, including in-depth training, a better yield of cotton, lower costs, and environmental benefits. We are committed to supporting the farmers and it is only year one of this partnership, we are looking forward to seeing what the future holds.’

Abou Bakar, programme manager at CottonConnect said: “The key lies in empowering the smallholder farmers and landless workers who form the backbone of the rural economies to grow their incomes and improve their livelihoods by raising agriculture productivity, protecting the ecosystem as well. Sustainable practices lead towards food safety and business continuity. We have connected with the cotton farmers to bring measurable improvements in the rural livelihood and allied supply chains.”

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