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Cotton is the main natural fibre used to make Primark’s clothes and it can be found in more than half of the clothes we sell. That’s why the way in which the cotton we use is grown is so important to making Primark a more sustainable business.
As part of our Primark Cares sustainability strategy, launched in September 2021, we committed to ensuring that all the cotton in our clothes will be either organic, recycled or sourced from our Primark Sustainable Cotton Programme (PSCP) by 2027. It is an ambitious commitment but we are building on a strong foundation.
We started the PSCP with a pilot in 2013 in India, working with Cotton Connect and the Self-Employed Women’s Association, to train farmers to grow their cotton more sustainably by using fewer chemical pesticides, fertilisers and less water. PSCP is now the biggest programme of its kind managed by a fashion retailer, and the programme is still growing.
We have made good progress against our Primark Cares commitment. Today, more than 40% of the cotton clothing now contains cotton that is organic, recycled or sourced from Primark’s Sustainable Cotton Programme.
We started with nightwear and now customers can find PSCP cotton across all departments, including menswear, womenswear, kids and home. This includes essential products such as t-shirts, vests, leggings, socks and underwear, fashion pieces including denim and jackets, as well as bedding and table linen.
In April of this year we announced a major expansion of the programme and committed to increase the number of farmers trained through the programme to 275,000 by the end of 2023. This will increase the availability of PSCP cotton for Primark products by 60%.
At the same time, as part of our Primark Cares strategy, we have set ourselves a goal of working with the farmers to restore the biodiversity of the cotton farms in the PSCP programme. One example of this is the introduction of more regenerative agricultural practices by 2030. It is our ambition that this evolution will help to restore farm-based biodiversity, while at the same time enhancing the livelihoods of farmers.
The wider availability of Primark’s products made from PSCP cotton, and sold at our great prices, is a major support for our commitment to make more sustainable fashion affordable for all.
Note: This page makes reference to the Primark Sustainable Cotton Programme (PSCP). Since 1 October 2024, the PSCP has been renamed the Primark Cotton Project.