WINNIPEG - South Asia’s cotton sector should accelerate its adoption of voluntary standards (VSS) to address longstanding sustainability issues, according to a new report.
The study from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) says VSS, such as Fairtrade and Better Cotton, can reduce chemical and water use while raising income for farmers and textile workers.
Researchers examined the criteria of sustainable standards against challenges in the cotton sector of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka which produce 30% of the world's cotton.
