The Aid by Trade Foundation is the standard-setter for the sustainability standard “Cotton made in Africa (CmiA)”, one of the world’s leading standards for sustainably produced cotton. It regularly commissions Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) to evaluate the impact of the CmiA standard.
In collaboration with cotton LCA expert Daniel-Thylmann, corsus is conducting a LCA of cotton production in accordance with the CmiA standard across ten African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia). For this purpose, AbTF collects primary data on cotton cultivation and processing in Africa, specifically the separation of seeds and husks from the cotton fibres. This data forms the basis for process modelling and the Environmental Footprint method (EF 3.1) is used for impact assessment. Additionally, effects on biodiversity are assessed using the BVI method.
Ultimately, the hot spots along the production life cycle will be identified and the results will be documented in an ISO- compliant report (ISO 14040/44). The LCA is subjected to a critical review prior to publication.
The project began in March 2026 and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026.
