We’re very excited to tell you more about our new transparent supply chain in Africa. Where Does It Come From? is creating beautiful tunics that will be the statement piece of your wardrobe – stylish, soft and very versatile! We’re also making pocket squares and hair scrunchies as stylish accessories.
Following production you will be able to purchase these beautiful items from the Where Does It Come From? shop.
More than that they will be eco-friendly, fair trade and traceable too, with a code on the label so that you can trace the journey yours has taken from the cotton field to your wardrobe. Your tunic (and other items!) will be made out of organic cotton from Uganda – fed by the rain, nourished by natural fertilisers and supporting livelihoods and training for farmers.
Cotonea – Working with Farming Cooperatives to grow Organic Cotton from Uganda
The cotton for Cotonea is produced in regions with enough rain to water several crops per year – countering the ‘thirsty crop’ issue naturally! The cotton is ecologically farmed and harvested by hand which is beneficial to the land in a number of ways and ensures that only the cotton is picked so the land is not depleted of other growth and nutrients. Crop rotation also protects and improves the fruitfulness of the land.
Cotonea shares it’s 150 years of experience with the farmers so that they can continually improve quality and deliver pure organic cotton. Through a contract of guaranteed purchase, Cotonea gives the farmers financial security and strengthens their self-confidence. A generation of farmers were not able to learn about agriculture due to the civil war which devastated the country. These farmers are now being trained in organic cultivation to prevent deaths and illness from pesticide poisoning, as well as how to enable the fruitfulness of the soil and the preservation of the ground water. Pests are controlled through use of complementary crops and other natural methods and farmers only use natural seeds (ie. no genetic modification).
When the organic cotton from Uganda has been processed and printed it will be sent to Malawi where our beautiful tunics will be created. Find out more about our partnership with the Malawian social enterprise Mayamiko.