Thank you to our speakers and panellists, participants, and attendees for making the Organic Cotton Summit a success. We hope that the collective energy from these events have inspired us all to drive for real change across the textile industry, continue to empower farmers committed to organic and secure supply for the growing demand across the globe.
Only through collaboration can we push Organic Cotton past the 1%.
“The Organic Cotton Summit was a great success. The insights from these discussions have helped magnify our theme of ‘Pushing Past the 1%’ and I have no doubt that as a result we will work more effectively and collectively in driving for real and urgent change. I look forward to diving deeper in the topics of cotton in conversion, regenerative organic, and investing to futureproof the supply further in the coming year. But, most importantly our focus is to continue to support existing organic farmers and transitioning farmers to face the strong and growing global demand for organic cotton.”
– Bart Vollaard, Executive Director, OCA
To view the complete series of videos from the Organic Cotton Summit hosted by OCA, visit our Vimeo page.
Links to the individual sessions are available below:
OCS21 Welcome Address Keith Tyrell, Chair of OCA’s Board of Trustees
Keith Tyrell is the Chair of OCA’s Board of Trustees. He is also the Director of PAN UK – an international NGO operating in the UK and more than a dozen LMIC countries. PAN UK conducts research into the health and environmental impacts of pesticides and develops policy options to reduce reliance on chemical pest control. Their field programmes provide direct support to thousands of smallholder farmers in Africa and conduct cutting edge R&D into appropriate technologies to manage pests and increase productivity and engage with actors in global commodity value chains to drive demand for sustainably produced crops and to promote best practice.
OCS21 Keynote Speaker Paul Holmbeck
Paul Holmbeck, organic policy and market consultant joined Bart Vollaard, Executive Director, OCA to discuss the growing importance and relevance of organic farming in addressing the world’s most pressing issues of our time. Paul shared lessons from Denmark on how organic policy and NGO mobilisation can drive farm conversion to organic and develop the organic market. Their conversation also explored what the ambitions for organic food production in the EU mean for organic cotton.
Discover OCA’s 2030 Strategy and our roadmap to unleash the powerful and positive impact of organic cotton from field to fashion, for people and planet. Bart Vollaard, Executive Director, OCA shares our vision for the future, and the importance of the ‘Organic Cotton Effect’. He also discusses how we can leverage this Effect to deliver a transparent, responsible, and resilient organic cotton supply chain that priorities farmer prosperity.
OCS21 From the Group Up Vivek Rawal
Vivek Rawal, CEO, bioRe India joined Ruud Schute, Programme Director, OCA to discuss the critical role that Implementing Partners and farm groups play in helping cotton farmers to adopt organic practices and adapt to agricultural challenges as they arise. This conversation also shared on-the-ground insights that illustrate why we need to make the organic sector more equitable for farming communities if we wish to push past that 1% production statistic.
OCS21 Panel How does Organic Relate to Regenerative Agriculture?
Regenerative organic agriculture is a concept that has been gaining momentum in the apparel industry as a solution to climate change and way to improve soil health, but what is the reality of implementing this system? How does organic relate to regenerative agriculture? How are farmers responding to regenerative practices? Our speakers from Patagonia, Rodale Institute and Pratibha Syntex discussed this and more in this engaging session.
OCS21 Investing to Futureproof the Supply of Organic Cotton
Investing to futureproof the supply of organic cotton is the focus for our final session. Our panel from Textilbündnis, the H&M Group and Tchibo discussed the importance of investing in in-conversion projects now to directly influence how much organic cotton supply is available in the future. The conversation encompassed new opportunities for funding organic projects and distilled why brands need to show leadership by investing in the future of organic cotton.
