How Do We Track Every Fibre?

From cotton producer to spinning mill, CmiA cotton is digitally tracked via the Sustainable Cotton Tracker (SCOT). Every transaction is recorded, and every sale is balanced against purchases.

Chain of custody

Two Paths to Traceability

Choose the approach that fits your supply chain — CmiA Mass Balance for flexibility or CmiA Traceable for full physical traceability from cotton producer to final product.

with CmiA Traceable
Physical segregation of claimed material throughout the supply chain
Traceable:
Full traceability from ginnery to final product to cotton producer
Trustworthy:
Third-party audits included
Verifiable:
Conducted through reliable tracking systems
Supported:
Dedicated compliance support
- Advanced transparency and traceability
- Fulfils a legal requirement
- Preferred by AbTF
- Recommended for brands
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CmiA Mass Balance
Volume-based tracking across the supply chain
Flexible:
Full traceability up to the spinning mill, after which volumes are balanced throughout the supply chain
Impactful:
Same field-level impact as CmiA Traceable
Practical:
Easier integration for complex chains
Accessible:
Widely adopted by existing supply chain partners
- Scalable across multiple suppliers
- Streamlined implementation process
- Cost-effective option
- Many leading brands use this model
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Process

Verified at Every Step

Managing Entity and Compliance
Every Managing Entity is verified on a rolling annual cycle, ultimately at both the field and ginnery level.
Cotton companies submit annual self-assessments, followed by independent third-party verification.
Full Physical Traceability
Physical segregation at every stage means no mixing with unverified cotton (mixing with verified, recycled cotton is possible).
Under the Segregation system, CmiA cotton is kept physically separate from all other cotton at every stage of the supply chain — from the farmer through ginning, spinning, and fabric production to the final product. Products produced under the Segregation system can carry the “Cotton made in Africa Inside” or “Cotton made in Africa Organic” labels, confirming full physical traceability back to the origin. This is the highest level of traceability CmiA offers — chosen by brands that require complete chain-of-custody transparency for their sustainability reporting.
From Field to Fashion
Once shipped, CmiA cotton enters the digital tracking system.
The Sustainable Cotton Tracker (SCOT) records all transactions between CmiA-registered partners — from cotton traders and spinning mills through to producers, importers, and retailers. By recording the volumes of CmiA-claimed cotton, yarn, and fabric at each production stage, SCOT offers transparency throughout the supply chain. No CmiA cotton moves without a corresponding entry in the system.
Verified, Not Just Traced
The AbTF Transparency Standard adds an independent layer of auditing and documentation to ensure every CmiA Traceable–labelled product is fully accountable throughout the supply chain.
To strengthen CmiA’s traceability integrity, the assurance system combines three elements: self-assessments by all supply chain actors to ensure compliance, regular on-site audits at spinning mills, and digital transaction documents (DTDs). These are verified independently and using a risk-based approach through desktop audits that link each purchase order back to the cotton’s origin.

Questions

Everything You Need to Know About Our Chain of Custody Model With the Highest Level of Traceability

Under the Segregation chain of custody model, verified cotton is kept physically separate throughout the trading, processing, and treating stages. Mass Balance uses quantity-based tracking instead, allowing flexibility in complex supply chains while ensuring that equivalent volumes of verified cotton are accounted for.

Under both chain of custody models, all CmiA-claimed material volumes are recorded and tracked through the SCOT platform. This enables supply chain partners to monitor incoming, processed, and outgoing volumes and ensures transparency throughout the supply chain.

For CmiA Traceable, the physical identity of the cotton is preserved throughout the supply chain. Cotton is kept separate from non-CmiA cotton, allowing its origin to be traced back to the country of production. Compliance with the segregation requirements is verified through regular independent audits conducted by ISO-accredited third-party certification bodies. These audits assess compliance with chain of custody requirements and verify the integrity of the traceability system.

Registered partners have access to relevant transactions and volume data through SCOT. The platform provides transparency on CmiA-claimed material flows and supports partners in monitoring their transactions, reporting volumes, and demonstrating compliance with chain of custody requirements.