Since 2013, the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) cooperates with the African Cotton and Textiles Industries Federation (ACTIF) to promote the sustainable cotton and textile industry in Sub-Saharan Africa. To strengthen their cooperation, AbTF and ACTIF now announce their strategic partnership for more value addition in the African cotton and textile industry. The two organisations have set themselves the goal to increase productivity, competitiveness and sustainability of cotton production and to strengthen the textile production in Africa together.
“The Aid by Trade Foundation and its Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) initiative is the most important program for sustainable cotton production in Africa. With the sustainable and certified CmiA cotton we can lay a reliable foundation for our business which aims to build up an integrated textile value chain on the African continent suitable for the domestic as well as international textile market”, says Jaswinder Bedi, Chairman of ACTIF.
With their cooperation both partners go a step further in their aim to strengthen Africa’s role within the cotton and textile sector worldwide. As more and more retailers and suppliers are pursuing the development of the textile market in Sub-Saharan Africa or are already moving parts of their production to the African continent – like e.g. H&M, PVH, Tchibo or Bestseller – AbTF and ACTIF cooperate to respond to the increasing demand for sustainable cotton and textile products made in Africa.
“We are pleased about the cooperation with ACTIF, which fits well with the optimism in the African textile sector. Our partner is an expert and promoter of regionally and vertically integrated textile supply chains on the African continent. Together, we offer retailers and brands that are looking for sustainable and traceable textiles from Africa, a simple solution – from raw material to finished product“, concludes Tina Stridde, Managing Director of the Aid by Trade Foundation.
About ACTIF
The mission of ACTIF is to promote trade and increase market access for the cotton, textile, and apparel industry in Africa. This mission is informed by its vision, which is an integrated cotton textile and apparel industry that effectively competes on the world market.