Celebrating 10 Years of the Primark Sustainable Cotton Program
It’s been 10 years since we launched the Primark Sustainable Cotton Program, so we’re celebrating the women behind it.
Look for the Primark Cares logo online or on instore signs through the Primark Sustainable Cotton Program.
2023 marks a decade since we started the Primark Sustainable Cotton Program, the largest of its kind by any fashion retailer. This milestone means we’re taking time to celebrate the women behind it, in addition to the impact of our program on their livelihoods.
The Primark Sustainable Cotton Program supports our Primark Cares commitment to make sustainable fashion affordable for all. We're committed to having all our clothes made of recycled or more sustainable materials by 2030.
Primark Sustainable Cotton Program: 2013- 2023
Together with our partners, we’ve trained over 252,800 farmers in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Throughout the three-year program, farmers use their new skills to reduce the costs of growing cotton and boost their cotton output (yield) and profits. Many have used the extra money to invest in farm equipment, educate their children, and improve their housing or lifestyle. More than 80% of the farmers in the program are women. We’re marking this moment by celebrating some of these remarkable females.
Kanchanben
A Primark Sustainable Cotton Program farmer, India
Kanchanben grows cotton and moong (mung bean) on her two-acre village plot. Hotter temperatures have increased the number of insects threatening her crops. Through new techniques that she’s learned through the Primark Sustainable Cotton Program, she keeps the insects at bay with natural methods like sticky traps.
“When insects come, they land on the paper, and there’s no need to spray insecticides.”
She uses the money she saves to buy school supplies for her children and cover other home expenses. Kanchan’s knowledge-sharing spirit benefits her entire family as she passes on the techniques she's learned to others.
Zala
A Primark Sustainable Cotton Program farmer, India
Zala has learned new agricultural skills relating to land preparation and sowing, crop management, and harvesting through the Primark Sustainable Cotton Program. She’s now able to grow vegetables and grains on the same land as cotton.
"I have grown one acre of cotton." "In addition, I've also practiced intercropping and cultivating crops like moong, guar, and various vegetables including tomatoes.”
She uses homegrown produce to cook meals for her family and sells any leftovers at the local market. The money she earns is used to support her children’s education and cover general household costs.
Lalita
Primark Sustainable Cotton Program Trainer, India
Lalita joined the Primark Sustainable Cotton Program to learn how to farm cotton more sustainably and then became a trainer herself. Her mission is to uplift female farmers and give them greater independence.
Being a trainer in the Program has helped to fund the education of her children. Her youngest daughter is now a physiotherapist. She's also noticed her own confidence has increased as she's trained more women.
“I now hold a position of respect both at home and in society, because we train women in a way that brings change to their lives.”
What’s Next For The Primark Sustainable Cotton Program?
Cotton is the main natural fiber in over half of our clothes. We’re committed to having 100% of the cotton in our clothes be sourced organic, recycled, or from our Primark Sustainable Cotton Program by 2027. Why is this so important for Primark? Our program is helping us build a stronger cotton supply chain, which helps reduce the environmental impact of the cotton we source. It also increases the visibility of where the materials we use within our products come from.
Looking ahead, our ambition is to support farmers in the face of a changing climate. We're encouraging more farmers within the program to use regenerative farming practices. We're aiming to improve biodiversity in the farms of the Primark Sustainable Cotton Program. This will increase soil health and use water more efficiently, while still continuing to support an improved livelihood for farmers.