Better Cotton Conference 2025, to be held in Izmir on June 18-19, focuses on farmers with the theme “It Starts with Farmers”. Although all parties need to take transformational steps for lasting change, it is underlined that real progress must start with farmers. In this context, the conference will address how to build more equitable income structures, decent work, regenerative practices and resilience to climate change from the ground up. Over sixty speakers, in addition to four keynote speakers, will take part in two days featuring dynamic presentations and impressive panel discussions. In addition to physical participation, the conference will also be available online.
Better Cotton Conference to discuss the sustainability of cotton in practice
Speakers will include farmers, NGO leaders and business innovators from across the cotton sector. Engaging narratives and field-level insights will be presented to discuss what sustainability in cotton means in practice.
The themes for this year;
- Promoting Equity: A Fairer Future for Agricultural Communities
- Restoring the Environment: Turning Climate Commitments into Action
- Leveraging Data for Greater Impact: Unlocking Insights for a Stronger Cotton Industry
- Shaping Our Future: Policy, Collaboration and Industry Development
Keynote speakers include:
Lavinia Muth, (Un)Sustainability: Speaker, Consultant, Provocateur, Mentor
Michael Kobori, Independent Board Director, and Sustainability Advisor
Tori Tsui, Climate activist and writer
Christian Hudson, Lead for Global Textile Transparency Governance, GIZ International Services
Keynote speeches will be followed by interactive discussions designed to inspire meaningful action and tackle key industry challenges.
Meanwhile, two special field trips will be organized with conference partners Uçak Tekstil and Tanmanlar Tarım Çiftliği, allowing participants to explore the sustainable practices shaping the cotton and textile sectors in Türkiye. You can also register for the field trip when purchasing a conference ticket.
The Better Cotton programme in Türkiye was launched in 2011, and last year (2022-2023 season) alone sourced over 104,000 metric tonnes of cotton, whilst supporting over 2,400 licensed farmers.
