Primark grows sustainable cotton program.

Primark, a major European fast-fashion retailer, is expanding its effort towards sustainable cotton farming. Their program trains smallholder farmers in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh on reducing water use, chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This approach benefits both the environment and the farmers by promoting biodiversity, mitigating climate change, lowering costs, and increasing yields.

By the end of 2023, Primark aims to train an additional 125,000 farmers, bringing the total to over 275,000. This initiative aligns with their broader sustainability goals set last September. These goals include using more recycled materials, making clothes more durable, and achieving 100 per cent sustainably sourced cotton by 2027. Ultimately, Primark aims for all their products to be made from recycled or sustainable materials by 2030.

Primark's commitment comes amidst pressure on the fashion industry for its environmental impact. Critics highlight excessive water and chemical use, along with clothing ending up in landfills.

While some environmentalists doubt the sincerity of such pledges, Primark believes their large scale can drive real change. They recently implemented price increases to address inflationary pressures.